A Swan Is Born: Part I (Storybrooke)
by FantasyWriterFoSho
Summary: While Emma's still learning how to handle and use her magical abilities, Zelena has changed tactics. She's no longer interesting in changing her past and has made an alliance with a surprising ally. When our heroine agrees to a deal, she becomes the Wicked Witch's puppet! Will she be able to get out of it? Will her true destiny be revealed? *Glinda, the Southern Witch included! -AU
1. Practice Makes Perfect

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS. THEY BELONG TO THE OUAT (ONCE UPON A TIME) CREATORS.**

**I DO, HOWEVER, OWN SOME OF THE SMALL THINGS, LIKE THE PLOT-LINE OR THE INSPIRED THEORIES/DESIGNS THAT I INCORPORATED IN HERE :)**

****I did watch the last episode and was blown away by the sheer awesomeness of where they're taking these characters. I was also happy that my ideas (for this tale) weren't used, lol.**

**This is my ****first ****Fanfiction! Please be nice, lol! :] Hope you enjoy it!**

**Comments are greatly appreciated!**

**...**

****UPDATE: Major editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/15/2014.**

**...**

**Chapter One: Practice Makes Perfect**

**...**

"**E**mma, you need to work on your focus and concentration."

"I _am_ concentrating!" Emma snapped at Regina through closed eyes. She had been training the whole day, nonstop, and wished that she could have some time to herself _or_ to just have a small break from all this magic BUT her "teacher" won't allow that. Something about "evil doesn't sleep" or "the whole world is counting on us" or "taking breaks will make her lazy" and/or her personal favorite: "Rumple would never have (fill in the blank)". The fact of the matter was that Regina was DEFINITELY shredding her patience and working on her already frayed nerves.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to block out her thoughts so that she could regain her posture, which she was sure looked totally ridiculous. She was standing in the middle of the loft's living room with both of her arms outstretched, yet slightly bent at the elbows, while both of her palms faced the ceiling. Her fingers were also curved upwards, as if she was holding something precious in the middle of them, and the reason for all this, _why_ she was standing there looking like a praying mantis, was because it'll apparently give her the balance she'll need in order to achieve "spiritual enlightenment", but none of the "magical essences", she was _supposed_ to be sensing, would dare approach her with her looking like—in her opinion—a complete imbecile.

Shaking her head, she tried to clear the negativity she had been feeling all day so she could accomplish at least one thing correctly and after a few moments, surprisingly, she could actually feel herself starting to relax. Her body was completely still, but at the same time, something began to rise from deep inside of her, making her fingers hum and her heart pump wildly. Trying to expand the sensation, she squeezed her eyes tightly and placed extra tension in her hands and fingers, but instead of enhancing the humming impression, she could feel herself losing the battle as everything inside of her started to wind down. She shook her head fervently, trying to bring it back, but as soon as she started to feel the effects bubbling and growing inside of her once again, she then heard a voice...and it wasn't one of those nice voices one usually hears or _should_ hear during a stressful time such as this. Oh no, this one had a sort of _nagging_ tone to it.

"If you were _concentrating_, you wouldn't have felt the need to talk back to me; hence the _focusing_ part, and you wouldn't have tensed your body just now when you tried to recall back whatever you were feeling…"

"Ugghh!" Emma screamed as she dropped her stance, losing what little of the humming she had left as it suddenly vanished from every part of her body, making her wonder if it was there in the first place. She turned around to face Regina, who was leaning against a faraway wall, twirling a red apple in her fingers while looking at her student intently. Boldly making a move towards her, Emma growled. "Well, if you didn't feel the need to talk constantly, I probably would've gotten it by now!"

"Ha!" Regina laughed, a sarcastic smile playing across her lips. "Emma, please, now isn't the time to _joke_. We are supposed to be training you in magic which I know you are fully capable of doing…well, when you are being threatened anyway…"

Emma narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Regina sighed and pushed herself off of the wall, taking a couple of steps towards her but not enough to close the gap between them. "I'm saying that you have all this great power but you lack experience and that's not your fault or your problem. Your _problem_ is that in order for you to tap into it, you need some sort of push. Some sort of drama to get the ball rolling and that has got to stop." Her face then became serious when she met Emma's challenging gaze. "Magic is about emotion, as I'm sure you've heard Rumple say many times, and that seems to be the main problem for you. You need to sort out your feelings, Emma, in order to connect to the magic that _is_ inside of you before you even think about learning or attempting the physical act of transportation—especially, if you still plan on confronting Zelena." And without another word, Regina gave her a final look before walking past her to the door, the opening sound of it filling every empty corner of the room with its creaking noise.

Emma's demeanor immediately changed from anger to somberness as she considered the words that were practically thrown at her. '_Sort out my feelings'? What the hell does that mean? I'm just tired…_

She then rubbed at her temples as if to block out what Regina had said but she ultimately knew that she was right. She knew that she was having trouble connecting to them because of what had happened to her in the 29½ years she has spent on this planet. Being left alone, in another realm, by her family so she could be spared from the effects of the first dark curse had a major impact on her life; the majority of which she considered to be, well, horrible. Growing up in an unforgiving foster system with no steady support, being betrayed by her first love, getting pregnant in jail, being introduced into what was _supposed_ to be a fairy tale lifestyle (by her son) in which she played the part of "the savior" whose job entailed constant fights against villains that were stronger than her, etc., etc., etc.…

All of that was just a small taste of the inner struggles she's _still_ going through, which often makes it difficult for her to deal with the reality of her life, especially with the whole ordeal of her getting her memories back from a certain pirate-slash-reinvented hero…who just happens to also be in _love_ with her.

As if her plate wasn't heavy enough.

Exasperated and emotionally drained from the internal movie reel that had just played out her life, she shut her eyes for a brief moment while, simultaneously, turning to face the door, fully intent on exploiting this rare opportunity to, hopefully, take a nap in her _own_ apartment before her parents came back with here Henry. But when she did, she was suddenly stunned by the figure of Regina, upon reopening her eyes, who was _still_ standing inside the loft with one of her hands resting comfortably upon the open door's knob. Obviously, she had thought it more interesting to watch her silent struggles instead of leaving, but before Emma could shout out her building frustrations at her, Regina's free hand abruptly reeled back, launching something directly at her, the image blurred by the sheer velocity of the throw.

"Whoa!" Emma cried out as she turned her head away, her hands quickly snapping up to defend her face and neck from the unknown object. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you?!"

There was a pause before Regina replied back. "Emma, look at what you're doing."

Confused, Emma slowly turned to look at her teacher, who was smiling at her widely, and noticed that floating midway between the empty spaces of her hands was the red apple Regina had been holding and playing with earlier. The fruit was bobbing effortlessly in the soft magic she was exuding and her mouth dropped open.

"I'm...the apple...why did you…? I…"

Regina looked at her pointedly before pushing the door fully open, slipping half of her body into the hallway. "Clear your mind. Find your control, Emma, and..." she paused, a smirk now plastered on her face before she officially left the residence. "…enjoy the apple."

**...**

**I**t had been more than a few hours since Regina had left her alone with a floating piece of fruit lodged between her hands, thanks to her own magical abilities, and Emma was _still_ at the loft, bubbling with newfound excitement and happiness. She was fully engrossed in what she was doing and was actually enjoying herself…for once!

Poised with determination and, with a huge smile on her face, she stood once again in the middle of the room, facing a pile of stacked dishes on the kitchen island. She exhaled loudly and raised one hand, summoning her powers, armed exclusively with sheer will and complete determination. The familiar humming had been a frequent visitor of her body for the last two hundred minutes or so and they seemed to be growing quite accustomed to one other since it wasn't coming and going as it had been earlier with Regina. _Maybe this was something I had to do on my own. Connect with my magical essences without someone watching over me or bossing me around all the_ time, she thought reasonably.

And instantly, as if sparked from her positive thoughts, the top plate separated from the others and shakily hovered in the air, easily defying the concept of gravity.

"Yes! Score!" she cried out, gleefully. Emma then rotated her hand, the palm now facing her, before sharply stretching her whole arm out to one side with a pointed finger. The plate immediately obeyed her movements, first flipping over, revealing the bottom half of the two sides, before flying directly into the targeted wall, smashing into tiny pieces upon impact. She was about to repeat her actions when she heard a light knock at the door and with an unfamiliar bounce in her step, she hurried over and pulled it open, revealing a sullen looking individual on the other side. "Hook? What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you about something, love. May I come in?"

Some of her happiness dwindled when she looked him over. He looked terrible, as if he hadn't slept in a while. The dark circles under his eyes confirmed as much, plus his annoying-slash-charming smile was, once again, absent—not that she was counting on _seeing_ it every time she _saw_ him or anything, but since she _has_ been noticing his round-the-clock depressive behavior, she was definitely becoming worried about him, and that notion was beginning to scare _her_; in more ways than one. The fact that he was affecting her to this extent, absolutely meant that he was becoming an essential part of her life, but did she want that? Especially since she was aware of how he felt about her? _I guess the question I've got to figure out is...how do I feel about him_?

But before she could mentally compartmentalized their history with one another, Hook's voice interrupted her. _Saved by the bell_, she thought, wearily.

"I'm sorry if I am intruding, lass, but I—what the _bloody hell_ happened in here, Swan?!" he bellowed as she continued to close the door behind him. She turned around to see him staring at her in concern and he had a just cause to be. He was referring to the hundreds upon thousands of littered shards that had once belonged to plates, cups, vases, and bowls; along with a small amount of utensils scattered here and there upon the floor. She had willingly subjected them to her violent yet productive practices in order to expand her powers, but from the look on his face, she could tell that he wanted a good explanation for her actions.

Emma shrugged her shoulders and made her way over to his side, biting back some of the amusement she got from his expression. "What do you mean? I'm practicing magic. Oh, _watch_ where you step!"

At the last bit of her words, she instinctively grabbed ahold his arm and pulled him to her, concerned that he would step heavily upon a huge, upright piece of glass that lay out in front of him, inches away from his boot. At the personal contact, Hook swallowed hard and tried to ignore the warm, comforting feeling he was getting from her touch. Just knowing that her hand was on him, set his being on fire with incredible longing, which unfortunately for him, compromised his chosen decision. He knew that he had to tell her but with her so close, it was throwing him off, and he needed to be able to focus if he was going to get through this, so, he unwillingly brushed her hand away and walked over to the kitchen island where he made sure that he didn't step on anything with a quick stroke of his foot.

Emma's eyes widened at his sudden gesture and she couldn't help the stab of hurt that radiated from deep within her chest. It took all that she had inside _not_ to react in a series of angry questions or unfounded accusations, like she would do with Regina or even to her parents. He was different and somehow, she didn't want to damage whatever type of relationship they had without having any real evidence. Plus, _he_ was the one that wanted to talk to _her_; _he_ came to the loft to see _her_; _he_ was the one having an issue being around _her..._not the other way around, so, she'll leave that touchy subject alone..._for_ now, anyway.

With a raised eyebrow that only Captain Hook could deliver, he turned back to look at her and spoke with a sort of flatness to his voice. "Regina has you practicing on the cutlery?"

"No, she normally doesn't and, if you couldn't already tell, _she's_ not here…" she started, trying to regain her former mood before he came by and threatened her emotional state. "This was actually my idea. I'm trying to control my magic and I didn't feel like going anywhere else after Regina left me alone."

"So, you decided to essentially trash your parent's dwelling?"

"…Yes…?"

"How thoughtful of you," he commented with a wink; his voice unnaturally low and husky.

Her cheeks flushed at the unexpected gesture. "Ah, yeah...um," she paused, deliberately thinking of something _articulate_ to say. "Well, uh, how did you know that I was here, alone, by myself, anyway?"

It was his turn to be embarrassed. He opened his mouth before subsequently closing it, trying to come up with something that didn't make him sound like a stalker. "Your, um, father informed me of today's plans two days ago—about them looking after Henry...and such, while Regina trained you here...so, I, uh...waited for you..."

"You 'waited' for me?"

"Yes...I was outside, um, anticipating your departure so we could talk..."

"But...I never left," she said, slowly, crossing her arms over her chest as she carefully inspected him. Under her curious gaze, he shuffled his weight from one foot to the other in a "cool" manner, as if he was attempting to rid himself of the anxiety he was (most likely) feeling because of her questions, but the overwhelming pressure appeared to be winning since he couldn't seem to stop. Finding it both adorable and creepy, she continued on with a playful smile. "How _long _were you out there...'_waiting_' exactly?"

After a moment of consideration, Hook ultimately decided to lie, which he knew was pointless because of her superpower, but he didn't want her to know that he had practically camped out there, conspicuously, for more than five hours. "...Not long, love..."

Holding back the uncontrollable laughter she felt building up in her throat, she gave him a knowing look, one that told him that even though she _knew_ he was being deceitful, she wasn't going to say anything to him about it. Instead, liking how their interaction was going, she kept the ball rolling. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Uh," he started, barely able to recover from what had just happened. "First, lass," he said, looking about the room with an unreadable expression. "Shouldn't you do something about the _mess_ you made in here?"

Emma could feel her face falling at his sudden change of attitude. _What the hell just happened_? she thought. _Weren't we just getting along_? Not only had he just ruined the moment between them, he kinda made her feel bad about using her gifts, which wasn't something she would've expected from him. _Wasn't he the person who always encouraged me to use my abilities_? Clearing her throat, she spoke with forced enthusiasm, trying to act as if nothing had happened. "Then, I'll clean it up!"

She had been on a roll with her abilities and didn't want to stop now, even though this new task would be considerably more difficult than what she has been doing. So, she once again closed her eyes, not caring about any sort of reaction he might have towards her _lovely_ stance, and thought about the best way to clean it all up. Instantly, two possible scenarios popped into her head. She could either try to piece them back together, which would be the best option to do, but would also be the most boring, _or_ she could do the more advanced choice: making them disappear into _thin_ air.

Welcoming the idea of a new challenge, she decided upon the latter and fluidly got into her posture of raised arms and forward facing palms; her breaths becoming deep and even. She turned the volume down on all of her thoughts so she would be able to concentrate, which meant blocking out her general duties here in Storybrooke, the memory loss situation, her magic, Henry and a certain individual..._who_ shall remain nameless—specifically the other person in the room. Regina's words served as her anchor:

_Clear your mind...Focus…Magic is about emotion…Connect, Emma_…

Within a matter of moments, Emma could feel her magic bubbling and moving deep inside of her, like she had previously, and when she felt the room around her start to fill up with a certain level of tension, allowing her magical essences to flow in, she tried to suppress her smile.

Hook watched her silently, his thoughts consuming him. He really wished he knew how she was going to handle what he planned on telling her, but he didn't. His Swan was a wild card, which intimidated him a bit, but he did know one thing…she wasn't going to be happy with him keeping this information to himself. He knew that he should've shared it earlier when he came to the loft that night, right after his lips were cursed, but when he saw her practicing her magic with Regina, the words disappeared in his throat and his heart squeezed in agony. She was just starting to come into her own and accept, not to mention _like_, her magical gifts and here he was...about to tell her that she had a choice to make: give them up or suffer another loss, namely Henry.

He scratched his chin as if to distract himself from his ominous inner thoughts but he would have to do more than just irritating his skin to accomplish that. He felt like he was her own dark and personal reminder that her life was always going to be difficult and he was tired of it.

_Maybe_, he thought, _I should just leave. It would save everybody the trouble and I could go back to how I was before…_He then rolled his eyes. _Right, Killian, as if we didn't do just that during our return to the Enchanted Forest. Plus…there's no way of going back…my ship is—_

Suddenly, the air around him changed. It felt different, more stifled than usual, and that was enough to effectively pull him out of his reverie. He tore his eyes away from Emma, who he was unconsciously starring at, to speculate this new difference but what he found was truly unexpected and he couldn't help the sound of awe that emerged from his throat as all of the broken miscellaneous items on the ground started to slide or shake in various directions. He took a step to the side as if to avoid a possible onslaught of "death by sharp razors" but stopped when he realized that they were _literally_ everywhere in the room, and the slightest of movements, even to seek shelter, had the possibility to cause him serious harm. He was about to call out to her, to gain her attention, when the second most interesting and amazing thing occurred—easily topping what had just happened—the _shards_ starting to disappear! One by one, they were shimmering into nothingness as if they had never existed in the first place! He watched with a dropped jaw as little "pops" filled the air, signaling that another one had obeyed her commandment by simply vanishing.

The magical act continued for a little bit longer before it officially stopped, leaving the remaining pieces lying on the ground motionless and untouched by Emma's magic.

Hook raised his eyebrows as soon as the air around him began to clear. He was extremely proud of her. She had accomplished so much in her short period of learning and was obviously growing from her lessons if she didn't need a mentor around to guide her every move. Then, as if getting the sense that nothing was happening, she began to lower her stance, gracefully bringing her arms down so they could rest at each respectable side, all the while maintaining her closed lid expression. Captured by the sight, Hook's breath caught in his throat and he selfishly allowed himself the luxury of his greedily roaming his eyes over her form, gliding them down and in every soft, feminine curve till he couldn't take the wild pumping of his heart anymore. Not only was he completely and utterly under her spell, he was mesmerized by her and God only knew how he has been able to live this long without being with her. _Bloody hell, my affections are going to make this more difficult_...

Turning his head away to think properly, he released a breath he didn't know that he was holding. Damn_you,_ Zelena, he then thought, darkly._ You planned this from the very beginning._

"Did it work? Are they gone?" her voice eagerly called out to him.

He cleared his throat before responding back, his voice cracking with emotion. "Aye, love. It worked. Well, most of it anyway, you still have plenty more leftover."

Emma opened her eyes and looked about her. She had managed to clear some of the space around them but he was right, there was more on the floor than not. She pouted and walked over to him, feeling the need to be near him. "I was hoping for more…"

"You did great, Swan." He said, as he tried to ignore the beating of his heart at her unexpected closeness. "But perhaps a more practical solution is in order."

"Are you suggesting that I just leave it like this?"

"No, I'm _suggesting_ that you either get a cleaning instrument to clear this mess, which could take a while, or you could blame this on a localized earthquake or natural disaster."

Emma couldn't believe her ears, even though she could tell that he was trying to find some humor in her self-created situation. "Are you telling me to give up?"

Hook's eyes widened. A flicker of unhappiness lit her eyes before that unreadable façade of hers fell against her beautiful features, making him realize the serious implication of his words, when _really_, he was just trying to bring in some levity. So, to lessen the blow he had unintentionally created, he responded back to her with a gentleness she hadn't heard from him in a while. "No, love, I just thought that you were tired after that spectacular display of power."

Emma's brows furrowed but she said nothing. She looked at him, analyzing his features to see if he was either telling her the truth or was simply telling her what she expected or _wanted_ to hear from him. When no signs of deceptions stuck out to her, she cleared her throat and shifted her gaze, now trying to avoid those eyes of his…those beautiful and soulful blue eyes that often drew her to him…

Resting her hands against her hips, she bit her bottom lip hard, secretly punishing herself for admitting that small detail before changing the subject. "I could always try something different."

"Such as?"

"I could attempt to put them back together again, but that could be _a bit_ problematic since I did make some of them disappear…Looking back on it, I probaaaaaably shouldn't have done that."

_"Well…"_ Hook trailed off, glancing up at the clock on the wall. "I would do something soon, lass. Your _charming_ parents, no pun intended, and the lad are expected to be back in a couple of minutes, aren't they?"

She then followed his gaze, her eyes snapping up to the ticking clock in one swift motion, and as soon as the inevitable realization of the time set in, a groan escaped from her lips. "Ah, crap. It's that late?!" Her parents had been out babysitting Henry all day, so she could practice, before heading over to Dr. Whale for their scheduled appointment (which had been planned for a considerable amount of weeks) and had told her that they would be back with _her_ son around 6:00 pm.

It was now: 5:58 pm. She had TWO minutes left! Silently praying that they wouldn't be the punctual people she had come to know, she frantically looked around before settling her anxious gaze on the only other person in the room, imploring him with her eyes to give her some quick suggestions.

"Do you need any assistance with the cleaning, lass?" Hook asked, mischievously. "I may lack a hand but I wouldn't mind being of some use if it would spare you the shame of facing your parents in this rather…_dirty_ predicament."

"Shut up, Hook!"

He smiled as he went over to the cabinet that held the broom and dustpan, scarily familiar with her parent's apartment, and as he carefully made sure not to step on anything on his way there, he heard Emma say something that made him freeze inside and out.

"Okay, I have two minutes, no, make that one minute. I don't have enough time to buy _more_ tableware, so, ummmmm, I can piece some of them together with my _magic_ before—"

"Emma…" he started, everything inside of him boiling from her suggestion. He wouldn't be able to handle seeing her practice again. It was getting too much for him, which he knew sounded silly, stupid and strange, but it was true. How was he supposed to tell her what Zelena demanded of him _if_ she kept flaunting them around in his face?

"I can do it, don't worry—" she started, closing her eyes while she stepped into her now familiar, less imbecilic, stance.

"No, Emma, stop! No more!" he bit out, his insides reeling from the projected force he had just used. His back was still facing her but he could feel the air tense around them…and not with her magic. All of his pent up frustration from the curses (both the recent dark spell and his personal one), not being able to deal with being around the woman he loves or her family (which was extensive), and his general angst spilled out from inside of him in spades. He then brought his hook up to his good hand and cradled it, tracing over the haunting steel with the tips of his fingers to serve as a distraction from what had just happened.

He had snapped at her. He had _snapped_ at Emma.

At his tone and force, she had jumped and opened her eyes. She couldn't really explain what she was feeling at that moment since a huge wave of emotions washed over her—shame, fear, sickness and hurt, but there was also a profound _need_ to understand him. The humming she had been growing accustomed to, been trying to control and utilize, succumbed to the seriousness of her emotions; affected by his in-and-out coldness towards her.

It was becoming too much and enough was _enough_. It was time for some answers and with all of the memories from their last few encounters flooding back to her, specifically his bizarre and sudden uneasiness around her, she asked him a pointed question.

"Does my magic bother you, Hook?"

**...**

**Ooohhhh, Hook is in for it now! More to come!**

**Comments are much appreciated!**


	2. A Change In Plans

**Here you go! The second chapter to the unfolding drama :]**

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Emma was just beginning to unlock her magical potential, after her earlier session with Regina, but was interrupted by a guilt-ridden Hook, who—after some unintentional prodding—snapped at her when she tried to fix a mess she had made with her powers.****  
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**Thanks to all of you who have: added, rated and/or reviewed! I'm so glad that you are liking it so far!**

**More will come to follow as soon as I'm able!**

*****Side note: The last episode was totally amazing! But poor Hook…Emma needs to chill, lol.**

****...****

******UPDATE: Minor editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/15/2014. ****

**…**

**Chapter Two: A Change In Plans**

**...**

**I**n the comfort of her small home, Zelena looked at the items sprawled out on her dining room table and sighed, her eyes surveying each one carefully. She had the figurative representation of Rumplestiltskin's brain through the use of the straw he had spun into gold earlier; the sword of Prince Charming which represented his courage towards his family; and her sister, Regina's, battered heart which represented her resilience in "the harsh life" she had lived. All she needed now was Snow White's baby and her plan would be perfectly complete, but even now, with her being so close to exacting revenge upon the people who had abandoned her…she found herself hesitating.

_Is this really what I want? Will this really make me happy and successful in the future I desire to create?_ She questioned silently, her brows creasing together at the swirl of thoughts that suddenly consumed her, filling her now doubtful mind with different conjectures; most of which focused in on her failing this task. _What if it didn't work_? _What if…after everything I have done…nothing good happens for me_?

She began pacing around, her gaze never leaving the three items on the table. Her hands grew fidgety at the unsettling feelings that began to course through her veins, her worried eyes now tracing each object up and down, as if trying to copy them to her memory. _Is this really the best I can do to make my life better_?

Suddenly, Zelena stopped all of her nervous movements and turned towards a lone bookshelf that lay propped up against a wall on her left, a repressed and long-forgotten idea stirring about in the dark crevices of her mind. She then looked down at one of the rings she wore, a dark blue one upon her long middle finger, and delicately raised it up till it was perfectly leveled with her chest. After pausing for a brief moment, thinking about what she was about to do, she brought her other hand up and rubbed the top of the jewel with the tip of a finger, summoning the magic that had lay dormant within it for quite some time.

A figure of indistinguishable features then appeared on the surface, appearing pleased to have been called upon by the Wicked Witch of the West. "You called?"

"I'm in," Zelena stated, her voice shaking with anticipation at the possibilities that were sure to come with her new decision.

Her friend smiled and tilted its head to one side. "Then you know what you have to do. Read the book that I had given to you for the instructions are presented within its pages. I hope you succeed, my dear, but remember," the voice paused, dramatically. "…Once you begin this journey…there is no going back and I will not tolerate failure in this arranged partnership."

The ring then darkened, signaling to Zelena that the short conversation had ended. She slightly dropped the hand that she had just used to communicate with to stare at the same bookshelf, a glint of happiness floating about in her eyes when she then beckoned the book, described to her, with a snap of her fingers. The smaller books that had been leaning against the much older, thicker one fell forward as it floated off of the shelf and wobbled magically towards Zelena, who gently caught it and held it in both of her palms. She then balanced it, gracefully, onto one hand as she flipped through the pages, trying to find the designated passage she would need in order to execute what she had now fully committed herself to.

"There you are," she whispered as she placed the book onto the table with a thud, slightly making the now three useless collected items jump at the additional weight. She had never fully read it so she didn't know what to expect, but as her eyes skimmed over the lopsided Elfish words, she gasped out in delight. "This is all you have to do? It's so simple!"

It was truly the most…_wicked_ thing she had ever read and she wished that she had agreed to do it sooner. She read it three more times in order to make sure that she had thoroughly understood the ingredients she would need to prepare and when she was done, she clasped her hands together. "It's just like the dark curse but so much better…" Zelena could barely contain the joy she felt spreading throughout her body when she grinned maliciously, waving a hand towards the other objects atop the table in a discarding motion; the gesture instantly casting the items into a nearby wall.

She no longer had any need of them. _They_ no longer served any meaningful purpose.

She then summoned to her the spare chalice she often kept in the kitchen, one she only used for the most powerful types of magic, and placed it in the middle of the table before she began calling other necessary items to join in this more potent version of Rumplestiltskin's famous curse. Surprisingly enough, she had most of the contents in her storage and as unmarked vials and bottles flew every which direction around her to empty themselves into the chalice, she thought about the two she _didn't_ have.

The book had clearly stated that she would need the: "heart of a newborn" and the "blood of the most powerful love", both of which she would have to obtain quickly because without those components entered in the next three days, the rest of the contents would become useless—the only downside she could see to enacting this curse—_and_ she would have to face the wrath of her new partner.

"It's a good thing that pirate didn't do what he was told…" she drawled, her eyes beaming with cruel intentions. "Emma Swan, you and your _precious_ baby sibling are _mine_."

**…**

**Stay tuned for more!**


	3. A New Arrival

**Watching the final episode of Season Three now! Omg, I can't wait!**

**I'm writing this in a hurry so I can beat the ending, lol :]**

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Zelena changed her mind about going back in time to influence her future because she's worried that nothing good would come out of it if she did. So instead, she willingly agreed to a partnership with an unknown individual and immediately began preparing the ingredients for a different, more powerful, kind of dark curse–two of which includes parts of Emma Swan and her unborn sibling!**

****UPDATE/SPOILER: OMG...It just finished and...that was totally awesome! We (the Creators/Producers/whomever and I) obviously received "Frozen" inspirations for our stories :] I'm so geeking out right now, haha. Well...hopefully, my take isn't the same as their planned one (which it won't be if their Wicked Witch remains dead), but who honestly knows with that show or with my OWN developmental process? Lol -BTW: Wasn't her costume awesome (Elsa)? Wow... *speechless***

**And I haven't even talked about that total CAPTAIN SWAN make-out in the end! ;} It was beautiful! Can't wait till Season 4!**

**Nevertheless, ENJOY what lies below the first centered three dotted lines! :]**

**...**

****UPDATE: Moderate editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/15/2014.**

**…**

**Chapter Three: A New Arrival**

**…**

"**D**oes my magic bother you, Hook?" she repeated, waiting for him to make some sort of response—a gesture, a grunt, a look…_something_!

She could tell by the stiffness of his shoulders and the warm flush sweeping the back of his neck, through what little she could see over the high collar of his leather jacket, that her question had definitely caught him off guard. Good, that was the point. She needed to know why he had snapped at her, which was totally out of character for him, at least towards _her_, and she wanted to know it _now_—forget about what she had just said about leaving the subject alone till he was ready.

With her patience rapidly expiring at his elected silence, she gritted her teeth. "_Answer_ me, Killian."

At the use of his Christian name, a strangled sigh issued from his lips, a deep guttural sound that resembled one that had just been successfully trapped and cornered; much like the noises a wounded animal or even a tortured soul would make—the latter, however, was more accurate to him in this case. Emotionally crushed, he allowed his hooked appendage to fall away from his good hand, letting it swing down to his side as he shook his head, fearing the worse if he did reveal what he was keeping from her. _Bloody hell_, he thought. _I should've kept my mouth shut and let her perform her magic._

At his stubbornness and outright refusal to answer her, she could feel herself losing control over her already strained emotional state, and so with narrowed eyes and a stern countenance; she stomped over to him, grabbed one of his shoulders and yanked it towards her, vehemently forcing him to have the decency, not to mention the COURAGE, to at least look at her while he broke her heart—scratch that, her _confidence_.

_Not my heart_, she thought, defensively. _NEVER my heart_.

His eyes widened at her aggressive and direct approach but she wasn't going to let _those_ eyes distract her from getting the truth. Whether he liked it or not, he was going to respond to this question and it had better be a damn good answer.

"I mean it, Hook," she bit out, dropping her hand from the shoulder she had just tugged while simultaneously going back to using his notorious moniker. "I want answers and you are going to give them to me. No more games. No more running from _me_. No more excuses."

He swallowed hard at her words and briefly averted his eyes to the floor to lessen the symphony of emotions that were playing inside of him before reconnecting with her beautiful hazel ones, which were brimming with anger and frustration. How could he possibly deny the woman he loves the answers she so passionately wanted and deserved from him? As he cleared his throat, he tentatively brought his good hand up to caress her cheek, which caught her off guard and lowered some of that fire that had been swallowing her up only a few seconds ago, and as the tips of his fingers made contact with her smooth skin; he decided that the best way to tell her was to just plunge in and do it.

"Emma, love, the truth is that I'm under a—"

The sound of laughter and loud chattering suddenly filled the room as Mary Margaret, David and Henry entered, right on time, huge smiles plastered on their faces while the boy wore a neutral/semi-bored one. While they were still gathered by the door, Emma took the opportunity to take a couple of steps away from Hook, breaking their contact, to place a steady hand over her chest. Her heart was beating wildly and she was trying to convince herself that it had nothing to do with the fact that he had touched her...it had to be the anger she had been feeling…right? _Let's go with that_.

"…David, I can't believe that you made a scene like that at the hospital!" Mary Margaret exclaimed through her giggles as she scooted further into the room, one hand on Henry's shoulder and the other on her voluminous stomach. She was turned in a way that enabled her to face her husband and walk forward at the same time, in a comfortable manner, which explained how the mess hadn't caught her attention just yet. She then continued on talking to David in the same cheery tone. "I know that you're pleased about the gender of our baby but you didn't have to act like that."

"I was happy!" David proclaimed as he closed the door, a smile clearly written on his face. "Annnnd, I don't think that my dancing ruined anything. Am I right, Henry?" His grandson raised his brow and shook his head but also had a bright smirk on his face, suggesting that he either secretly agreed with him or at least found something else amusing to smile about.

"I would hardly call _that_ dancing. It was more like you were having a fit of spasms. I mean, Dr. Whale was very concerned about you."

David rolled his eyes playfully and kissed his wife near her temple before turning his sights onto his daughter…which, in turn, led him to see the scene of the crime. His mouth dropped open when he surveyed the scattered bits of glass and utensils on the floor, instinctually making him grab out for his wife's arm so he could guide her through what appeared to be a tableware invasion, battle and massacre.

"Emma, what happened in _here_?" Mary Margaret asked with concern as she swiveled her head around to survey every corner of the apartment. She gently pulled Henry to her as she attempted to make her way closer to her daughter but David prevented her with a soft tug; his protective nature rearing its head.

"It looks like a tornado hit this place," Henry said as he too looked about before fixing his gaze onto his mother, who reacted by turning her head away.

Emma didn't respond to either Mary Margaret's question or to her son's descriptive, yet slightly accurate, comment because she honestly didn't know what to say since Henry still didn't have his memories of Storybrooke or of the fairytale creatures who have learned to call this place "home"; so, the answer that she had would shock him or worse, _scare_ him. The other half to that was that she also wasn't so sure that she _wanted_ him to know about this place because of the happy times they had experienced in New York. Secretly, she would rather have that life back instead of being the savior in this one, but she didn't know how to explain those feelings to her parents or to anybody else…there never seemed to be enough time or incentive to do so. The fact of the matter was that she wanted a home, always had, and in the time she spent away from here—granted she had her memories wiped—she thought that she had found it.

But, to make matters somewhat even on both sides, she also thought that she had something special with a guy named, "Walsh", but that didn't work out so well, considering that he was a flying monkey charged by Zelena to keep an eye on her. Flattery can only go so far, apparently.

She cleared her throat and gave Mary Margaret a suggestive look, which her mother immediately understood, but not before she had spared a glance over at the stoic Hook. He looked as if he would like to be anywhere else but with them, at the loft, and that didn't make any sense considering that he had feelings, _transparent_ _feelings_, for her daughter, Emma. Curious about what had happened to both the dishware and between the two of them, Mary Margaret gently tapped Henry on his shoulder. "I think that it would be best if you go upstairs till your mother is ready to take you to home—well, to your…temporary home here. We have to talk for a couple of minutes so you'll have plenty of time to play that game of yours in the spare room."

"But I want to know what happened!"

"Henry…" David started but Henry just shook his head.

"All you guys are gonna do is tell me that 'I wouldn't understand' or that 'you will tell me later' or whatever, but I know that you are all _lying_ and have been ever since I got to this place." He looked at everybody in the room, systematically observing the guilty expressions on all of their faces, but when he got to Hook's, he stopped. "Killian is the only person here who's been honest with me. Will you tell me what they're not, _please_?"

The other three adults shifted their gazes over to him, their body language speaking in volumes, but Hook chose not to address them; he instead met the piercing eyes of the young boy head-on. Henry reminded him so much of a younger Baelfire or Neal, as well as himself, and he could feel the overwhelming amount of pressure start to increase inside of him, once again, at the confliction of his thoughts. Should he continue to tell him the lies everybody else wanted him to or should he do the _honorable_ thing and inform at least one person in this room the truth? As he contemplated, he started to feel Emma's hot glare boring into the side of his face and knew, regrettably, what he had to do.

He had to respect her wishes.

Steeling himself, he relented. "Sorry, lad, but I agree with Mary Margaret and…your mother on this one."

Henry's face became expressionless and without another word, he immediately stalked past his mother and Hook to climb up the stairs, heading to the one room _everybody_ wanted him to be in, and as soon as he got there, he plugged his ears with his headphones; concentrating intently on the screen of his handheld device while the music blared loudly.

"I'm sorry, Emma." David said after he had made sure that Henry was indeed up the stairs and wasn't lurking about to secretly overhear their conversation.

"It's okay, it's for the best," she stated plainly, her words slightly cracking.

"Did Zelena do this?" her dad asked, gesturing to the mess around them. "Or did something else happen?"

Emma thought about lying but knew that she wasn't as good at _doing_ it as she was _detecting_ it, so she shook her head. "No, nothing evil or anything like that happened in here…" she paused briefly, taking a peek over at Hook, who was staring blankly at the floor, and from viewing his simple demeanor, the frustration began to rise in her all over again. So, with an empty smile, she stood a little bit taller and spoke again, but this time, she aimed to provoke. "…Unless you take _Hook's_ opinions into account."

The obvious jab at him instantly gained his attention. His heart clenched at how she currently saw him but he knew that he had nobody to blame but himself, so as he let her words wash over him, he licked his dry lips and headed towards the door; feeling that he had overstayed his welcome. "I have to go," his voice thick, "…I have other matters that need my attention."

"Umm, okay…" Mary Margaret trailed off as she watched him turn the knob and exit, letting the door close behind him on his way out. Still curious, she turned to look at Emma, and judging from her unreadable expression, the feeling that Mary Margaret had gotten earlier about them interrupting on some sort of moment _intensified_. "Emma, is something wrong? Hook seemed upset...What was he doing here anyway?"

Emma's gaze fell upon the door and she nervously brushed a loose piece of hair behind an ear, remorse curbing her irritation. She would be the first one to admit that what she said was _a little_ bit harsh as well as _a little_ bit out of line; HOWEVER, she wanted to get a reaction out of him instead of…well, nothing, but did her reason justify the hurt she noticeably saw in him just before he left? _Damn, what is he doing to me_?

"I, uh, I'll be right back. There's something I have to do."

Shooing away some of the glass that she had missed during her magical practice with the side of a boot, she went to the coat rack where she removed her red leather jacket and slipped it over her dark long-sleeved shirt; zipping it up to her neck with a familiar ease. "Don't worry about the glass," she said with a sheepish grin as she opened the door and slipped halfway into the hall. "I'll clean it up when I come back."

The door closed behind Emma softly, leaving the couple alone in the living room with a huge mess around them. Mary Margaret turned towards her husband, an eyebrow raised in puzzlement. "None of them really answered a single question, did they?"

David nodded his head in agreement and let out an exasperated sigh as he carefully headed towards the refrigerator for a glass of water. "No, but I wouldn't worry about that. As long as one of them returns and cleans this mess, I'm not going to stress about it." They shared a smile as Mary Margaret wobbled to a stool near the kitchen island to make herself comfortable, perfectly avoiding any shards on her way there, while her husband, who miraculously managed to find two unbroken cups in a cabinet, poured them each some water. And as they savored their drink, they waited, anticipating the moment when Emma came back to the loft with a _good_ explanation.

**…**

**E**mma had sped down the steps as quickly as she could, her boots hitting the wooden stairs loudly as she did her best to catch up to the surprisingly fast Captain Hook. When she reached the front door that led to the streets of Storybrooke, the cold wind nipped at her nose and cheeks as she looked around, her eyes wandering up and down the sidewalks, but she still couldn't see him or anybody else for that matter. _Wow, he's fast_, she thought as she started jogging down the pavement, to her left, her breath coming out in puffs of wispy smoke.

"This is so stupid!" she grounded out, loudly, as she continued surveying her surroundings for the one person who had always managed to get under her skin, good _or_ bad. "Why can't he just tell me what's bothering him?! What is he so afraid of?!"

Realizing that she was heading straight for the docks, she picked up speed, knowing that they both had a thing about staring out at bodies of water whenever they were upset or needed a place to get away. It was definitely a calming atmosphere and, she has to admit, that most of her solutions did originate from that place.

She was just about to ease into a steady pace when she saw him walking, dead ahead, his shoulders slumped and his head hanging down low. She skidded to a stop and tried to catch her breath as she watched him rub the back of his neck, which unexpectedly made her heart skip a beat. She took a step towards him but once again stopped, hesitating at what she was actually going to say to him. What exactly did she expect from him? He obviously didn't feel comfortable enough to talk to her these days so what precisely did she _need_ from him?

"Stop following me, Swan…" his voice called out to her, his detached tone making his words seem harsher than normal.

Furrowing her brows together, she could feel the pent up anger start to bubble inside of her again, which only increased when he had the NERVE to continue walking away from her. "Hey!" she called out as she stomped towards him, flashbacks of their previous encounter coming to life before her eyes. "I just wanted to say this one thing and then you can go."

He stopped, but didn't turn around to look at her. When she was a mere two feet from him, she heard him speak in a kind of voice she never heard from him before. "I…I don't think that I can b-be around you anymore, love. It's…too complicated to really explain, but I think it's a necessary decision on my part. I'm sorry, lass…"

Emma flinched at his words, the rejection hitting her hard. "You can't be around me because of something you _think_ is too complicated but you can't find it within yourself to even _tell_ me what it is? After all we've been through? Wow...whatever you are keeping from me must be really important for you to throw _this_—you know what? Never mind…"

Hook looked over his shoulder at her, quietly urging her to finish what she was going to say, but gave up hope when he saw her turn around to head back to the loft. He then slowly gazed ahead of himself, the pain in his heart almost too much to bear as he started to make his way down the street to his temporary stay, for those long, cold nights, which was also at the one place he was able to settle down and think in peace. As he released a shaky breath, the raggedness of it making him feel even more vulnerable, he suddenly heard her call out to him; the tone of her voice booming so loudly that it interfered with the stillness of the budding night.

"But let me just say this one thing so that it's even more _clear_ for you. If you can't tell me what it is about my magic, or _me_, that bothers you...then we're _done_. I don't want to see you again and that includes you staying away from my family, especially Henry."

Hook said nothing, letting her chosen words hang in the air between them before walking away, his strides filled with purpose as he moved farther from Emma and closer to the docks, completely disappearing from her view in a matter of minutes. It was only after he knew that he had gone far enough that he whispered what he wished he could tell her, above anything else, without her pushing him away. "I love you, Swan. I'm doing this because I love you..."

Emma stood there for a few more moments before she stuffed her hands into her pockets and headed back to her awaiting parents, who were sure to be brimming with questions over what had happened to the inside of their apartment. She really wasn't in the mood now to explain, but she figured she owed them at least that much since she probably robbed them of any usable dishware. Too emotionally drained to make a run to the local store to go get some more, she slowed her walking to a shuffle and watched the cloudy white puffs come out of her mouth in reflection. Struck by how tired she was, she tilted her head up towards the sky and closed her eyes, sniffing back the unshed tears she didn't want to spill over in the weird confrontation she had with Hook. _I guess it's over_.

Were their ties officially severed? Her heart unintentionally squeezed at the idea.

Shaking her head at the struggles she constantly had to deal with in her life, she had just opened her eyes when a loud screeching sound filled the stiff and cold air around her, making her turned towards it immediately; her hands posed out in front of her as if she was preparing for a hand-to-hand fight. It was one of Zelena's cursed monkeys and it was high up in the air, staring down at her with its beady eyes as it circled above her, like one would do to its selected prey. As her adrenaline rose, creating the magical humming she needed in order to perform her magic, she raised a hand and flexed her wrist, flinging the supernatural primate into the side of a building. For more room, she ran from the sidewalk to the actual street, and watched as it recovered from her magical attack and flexed its wings. It then lurched forward violently, flying through the air with unmatchable speed towards her, its hairy arms outstretched and ready to grab her.

She tried to cast it away like she did the last time but her mind was too cluttered to concentrate on what needed to be done, and as it got closer, the energy within her began to dwindle down again. In pure fear, she turned around and tried to run back to the safety of the apartment but she wasn't moving fast enough as a strong pair of feet grabbed ahold of her shoulders and lifted her into the air, her legs dangling in the empty space between her and the ground. She tried to pry its toes off of her with her frozen, cold fingers, and when that didn't work, she tried flinging herself around, particularly her arms and legs, but her struggling seemed to have no effect on the determined monkey as it howled at her and lifted her up higher into the sky.

"EMMA!" a cry rang out in the empty streets, causing her to shift her panic gaze downward to the voice, slight relief flooding her at the prospect of being saved from her precarious situation. It was Hook! Having heard the commotion from where he was, he ran back as quick as he could to assist whoever was in trouble and there, he discovered that it was Emma who needed his help. He shouted her name again and pulled out his carefully concealed gun to try and shoot it down, but it dove, making a huge effort to avoid any harm. Emma's stomach rolled at the sudden drop and as the monkey stretched out its hands to grab at Hook, sharp talons protruding from the tips of its fingers, she screamed at him to run, but he didn't. He stood his ground and took aim, his finger gently pressed against the trigger as he waited for the perfect moment to strike; not wanting accidently hit Emma, who was still dangling dangerously above the ground.

"Hook, _move_!" Emma shouted as the monkey closed in on him.

The monkey then let out a horrible screech as it lowered its position in the air again, narrowing down all of its choices to either capturing, injuring or disarming Hook. The dive unintentionally caused one of Emma's feet to make an abrupt contact with the ground, eliciting a silent gasp from her mouth upon impact; the forceful jolt traveling swiftly throughout her body, but before she could recover, a piercing, shooting sound echoed out into the streets.

Hook cursed as the bullet barely grazed the weaving flying animal and as he prepared for another shot, it lunged at him, knocking the gun right out of his hand before returning to a comfortable height in the sky behind him; Emma hanging helpless underneath its body. Hook grunted in dread as he watched her fly away but as he looked about for the weapon he lost, a streak of pink light blasted past him, hitting the monkey in one of the legs holding Emma.

It cried out in pain and impulsively released its captive so it could soar off into the growing night, leaving Emma to plummet to the ground at a deadly speed. She prepared for the agony that was sure to come by closing her eyes and tensing up her limbs but, surprisingly, nothing happened. So, using one of her eyes to peek about, she immediately discovered the reason why she wasn't dead: she was, effortlessly, hovering a few inches above the cement!

"What the…?" She stammered as she was delicately lowered upon the main street, her knees and the palms of her hands eventually touching the gravel, signaling her safety. She sighed in relief when she registered that she was indeed okay and NOT being taken off to God knows where, but she was also aware that it wasn't her magic that had saved her, something or someone else had intervened before she could innately. Her hair fell forward, covering her shoulders and the majority of her forehead as she attempted to stand, but her legs were unable to take the pressure, so they buckled beneath of the weight—the hit she took, when the monkey dove, had seriously injured one of her ankles. When she moved, she couldn't help but to flinch as the sharp pain radiated from the sore spot, up her leg, past her thigh, and into the pit of her stomach, dulling her senses and making her a bit groggy. Electing to stop moving altogether to curb the ache, she stayed on all fours and breathed deeply, praying that she would somehow get through this.

Noticing that she wasn't getting up, Hook ran to her, not bothering to find out who or what had just saved them and/or whether or not the monkey was going to attack them again. He just cared about her. He knelt down in front of her and offered her his hand. "Emma?! Are you okay?!"

"Don't touch me…" she barked out, the pain in both her leg and her heart overwhelming her to the point of not wanting to deal with anything or anybody around her. Hook opened his mouth to say something but didn't get the opportunity to when he saw somebody approaching them from the corner of his eye. He stood up and took a protective step in front of her.

"You both should be more careful," the person said, making her way to the two she had just saved. "Her monkeys are not to be trifled with."

"Who are you? I haven't seen you around here before." Hook said with an edge in his voice, remembering how Zelena was unknown to them the first time they had all met. Intrigued from the possible reply, Emma managed to brush her blonde locks back to look at the approaching individual, her mouth in a straight line from the agony she was now in.

"My name is Glinda and I'm looking for the savior," the woman said earnestly as she looked anxiously between Hook and Emma, who shared a brief glance at the familiarity of the name.

"Why do you need the savior?" Emma said with a raised eyebrow, a hint of worry and interest in her tone as she once again tried to stand up, but failed.

Without any hesitation, Glinda replied, looking Emma straight in her eyes as she moved closer to the injured blonde. "The savior could be the hope I need, in not only saving my own homeland, but the rest of the realms' as well. We're all in danger of a new enemy, a terrible witch known simple as…the 'Ice Queen' and she is brewing up something that will not only cause devastation, but the unthinkable—an end to free will as we know it."

**…**

**Hope you liked it! Stay tuned for more!**


	4. Discoveries

**I miss OUAT so much it hurts…but I will survive!**

**Sorry that I haven't posted anything in the last week, I've been busy with homework and what not. I plan on overdosing you with 2-3 more chapters very soon, at least that's the plan, but if I don't…well, it's a good thing that you don't know where I live…hopefully ;] #HashtagIJest…**

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Emma decided to chase after Hook to find out what he was going to say to her back at the loft, but after a short exchange, she ended up severing their ties—which even extended to her family! On her way back, Emma was attacked by one of Zelena's flying monkey and even though Hook tried to save her, she ended up being rescued by the one and only: Glinda, who, after doing so, asked for the savior's help. A new enemy has emerged and is planning something awful: world enslavement!**

**Hope you like! Review if you can!**

**...**

****UPDATE: Moderate editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/20/2014.**

**…**

**Chapter Four: Discoveries**

**…**

**T**he sky was beginning to darken around the three individuals still positioned in the middle of the street, their hair and their clothes swaying in the now freezing cold wind, but none of them seemed to notice, especially Hook and Emma who were more concerned with the person that had just saved their lives. Well, that was kind of true, _Hook_ was more concerned, Emma, on the other hand, was more _curious..._and not to mention interested in whether or not she'll ever be able to walk or stand again without the inflaming sensation that was currently engulfing her left foot.

Glinda's eyes moved between them. She couldn't help but to feel a little nervous under the man's harsh scrutinizing stare, his eyes seemed to be permanently fixed upon her face as if she did something wrong. Most people would've shown some gratitude after being saved, but for those who lived in this particular little town, she understood why they would be a little bit suspicious towards any motives she _or_ a general newcomer may have. From reading and catching up with her Scroll, she knew that they had been brought here because of a curse many years ago and are currently enduring the wrath of the Wicked Witch, who was an old and unforgettable acquaintance of hers, but for them, Zelena was just the current villain in their long history of events. She would just have to convince them that she's on their side and in desperate need of their help, mostly the savior's.

Pushing back her thoughts, she directed her focus to the injured blonde, who was still on the floor, and moved closer with the intention of giving her a hand but before she could; the dark cladded individual quickly blocked her view. His eyes were narrowed and his mouth was in a severe distrusting thin line as he looked at her, judgment and suspicion clearly written on his face. "How do we know that what you're saying isn't a lie?" he grounded out with a scowl, pointing his legendary hook in her direction, the action sparking a memory in Glinda's mind as to who this man in front of her was.

"How do we know that this isn't a trap created by Zelena and that you aren't one of her minions sent out to gain our trust?"

"I can assure you that I'm not, Killian Jones," Glinda said, calmly, but the use of his real name immediately caught both the inhabitant's attention. Hook took a step closer to Glinda and pointed his portable weapon at her but she didn't flinch at his blatant and threatening gesture. She instead raised a hand to try and settle him down. "I mean no harm, to any of you. I'm just looking for the savior…"

"_Aye_, so you've already said, but what you haven't given us is a reason to believe you."

Blinking back her frustrations, Glinda opened her mouth to respond but the woman on the floor beat her to it, rolling her eyes as she did so—from what little of her face she could see.

Emma was now sitting down on her rear with one leg stretched out in front of her and the other, the injured one, bent inward at the knee. Both of her arms were at her sides, propped and ready to go should she attempt to regain her footing anytime soon, but judging from her tone, she was already bothered by her numerous and unsuccessful attempts. Her voice was sharp and filled with pain and sarcasm when she raised her eyes to Hook's back. "Yes, of course she's one of Zelena's minions because that makes _perfect_ sense! Her name is _Glinda_ as in the 'Good Witch of the South'…" Emma paused, blowing a piece of hair out of her face in annoyance. "That means that she's on _our_ side."

"How can you possibly be sure about that, Swan?" He questioned in disbelief, looking at her from over his shoulder, debating inwardly about whether or not he should offer her his assistance again when he observed another one of her tiresome struggles to stand. "I think that we've proven to you, on more than one occasion, that the characters you've read in books or seen in moving pictures aren't like their live counterparts. For all we know, lass, Zelena could've sent her here to save us so she could gain our trust and then one day, when we're all at our weakest or most vulnerable, she would betray or worse…_kill_ us."

"Okay, for one, those are all speculations based off of…_similar_ situations we've had," she said, pointing a finger up at him as if to emphasize her first rather lame and obvious point. Hook raised an eyebrow at the factual information she had just shared, an "_aha"_ look forming in his eyes, but she wasn't finished. "For _two_, I know for a fact that she's not a minion because from what I _saw_ of her, before you obstructed her from my view, she didn't tell _one_ lie, which isn't something I can say on your behalf, _Hook_…"

He went rigid at her statement but that was all she allowed herself to see when she took a deep breath, looked down, and put all of her might into her arms and feet; forcing and commanding herself to stand up. Her calves trembled when she finally found balance in her uninjured foot and with her arms outstretched to her sides, preparing to catch her should she fall; she released the breath she had been holding onto, slowly. Emma, her hands now posed out in front of her, then hobbled around the protective pirate, who she refused to look at, so she could get a better glimpse at the woman who had just saved them from one of Zelena's flying terrorists.

Glinda had long wavy strawberry blonde hair that appeared to go down to her mid-back, complimenting both her high cheekbones and her perfectly arched eyebrows. Her eyes were an unusual shade of lavender but were filled with a kindest that she had never really seen before (minus her mother's) and were impeccably placed against her light, delicate skin. Her outerwear was relatively normal for someone who had apparently just arrived from another realm: she had on a pair of dark jeans, black boots, a white tunic and a brown leather jacket—all of which were relatively similar to the clothes Emma wore on a daily basis; earning Glinda a well-placed nod of approval. The only thing that looked out of sorts was what she was holding in her left hand. It looked like a long metal stick in the dimming light, but when she noticed the handle, which bore a fancy design in the middle and around the edges, Emma knew that it was something more important.

"You've heard of me?" Glinda inquired, her eyebrows raised in awe at the thought of being known in an unfamiliar place, even though there was a high probability of that happening, given her position and authority.

"It's a long story, but it doesn't matter because _I_ believe you." Emma said with a shoulder raise, consciously standing and leaning onto her right foot so she wouldn't disturb the other. Glinda smiled at her and bowed her head slightly, showing her degree of appreciation, but then, without any prompting; she raised the object in her hand and pointed it at Emma's left ankle. Seeing this as some sort of threat, Hook lunged forward and grabbed one of Emma's arms, the closest one to him, and tried to move her out of the way, her face wide with surprise at his sudden touch, but he was too late. A soft tuft of pink light had already emanated from the tip of the rod and glided its way over to Emma. The energy then swooped down, gently making its way to her wounded ankle, weaving and circling about the injury several times before blending past her clothes and into her skin. Emma gasped as a burst of warmth spread throughout the strained ligament, relaxing and ultimately taking away the intense pain she had been experiencing moments before.

When it all but disappeared, Emma tentatively flexed her foot, testing its strength by moving it from side-to-side. She then looked up at Glinda with a lively smile before pulling herself out of (the stunned) Hook's grip, closing the gap between herself and the other woman. "That was amazing! You healed me! Regina had told me that it was a hard thing to accomplish."

"You have to be of a pure heart, mind and spirit in order to do so," Glinda responded, returning the smile.

Truly impressed by the level of magic that was demonstrated and feeling like she owed her something, Emma decided to give her the information she had been asking for since she had saved them. "You said that you're looking for the savior? Well, my name is Emma Swan and…it's me. I'm who you want." She could hear Hook mumbling in the background but she ignored him, she was more interested in seeing how Glinda was going to react. She was surprised at first, both of her eyebrows shot straight up in amazement before the expression melted away into profound and utter relief.

"You are?! Oh thank goodness!" she exclaimed, reaching out to grab Emma's hands. "We need to talk. Do you have someplace we can go?"

Glinda's happiness was infectious since Emma could feel herself still smiling back at her. She knew that she had made the right decision in trusting her, the woman seemed incapable of being dishonest because not only did she NOT show any signs of a distrusting nature, which is rarely seen in people today, she also seemed to be a genuine and cheerful person. "Yeah, my parent's apartment is close by, we can go there. I hope that it's okay if we do this in a public setting." Simultaneously looking in the direction Emma had waved in as she spoke, Glinda told her that that would be fine—preferring to do it like that because of the information she had to share.

Determined not to waste any more time, they both started making their way to the loft, Glinda holding the rod firmly in one of her hands as they did so.

Hook looked at them as they walked away from him, a jumble of emotions swirling around in his belly. He didn't know if he should silently follow or if he should go about his business because of the ban Emma had recently placed on him. He scratched his chin and waited for some sort of invitation but when it didn't come, he swallowed hard and turned around, sauntering away in the opposite direction with a heavy heart. The sting of his self-created rejection was hard to deal with and just when his stomach began to drop in convoluted agony, he heard a female voice call out to him from behind.

"Don't you wish to attend? What I have to say does concern everybody here and even though my main question _is_ for the savior, the more people I talk to, the more beneficial it will be for us all."

Hook stopped walking and halfway turned around, clearly able to see the two women looking at him from afar. Glinda, the one who had spoken out to him, honestly appeared puzzled at his decision not to come with them, whereas Emma, who stood directly beside her, reflected nothing; her face completely drained of all emotions.

"No, lass. I don't think that I'll be welcomed there," he called back, his voice thick at the coldness of Emma's eyes. Her stare shattered his already broken soul but he told himself that it was for the best. She was in danger with him around and he wouldn't allow any harm to come to her because of his presence. _It's for the best_, he bitterly kept repeating to himself, as he waited for a reply.

"It won't matter to you anyway since you have '_other matters'_ that require your attention," Emma suddenly cried out, venomously spitting his words back at him. His face darkened, but he chose not to respond when he deliberately took a couple of steps backwards, slightly disappearing into the casted shadows of both a nearby building and the impending darkness, before turning around and walking away—for good this time.

Glinda looked at Emma and gave her a small, sympathetic smile. Their situation was a hard one. Her readings had given her a glimpse into their possible future but, judging from what she had just witnessed, they would definitely have to find a way to overcome their differences if they were to be together; however, she had a feeling that they would...After all..._true love_ was hard to find these days—in _any_ realm.

She then wished the man well before her and Emma continued walking to the loft, the latter nervously rubbing her arms and clearing her throat.

"I wonder why he thought that he wouldn't be welcomed…" Glinda mused out loud; her words catching Emma slightly off guard but the blonde simply shook her head and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket, biting back the tears she so desperately wanted to cry.

"It doesn't matter. He made his choice." She said softly, both of them quietly making their way over to the front door so they could go deeper into the building.

**…**

**I**t was bleak and dark in the newly redecorated throne-room as a lone figure stood in the middle of it, her eyes fixed on a large orb-like object secured there, its glow an eerie dark blue. The dim light from the candles flickered and crackled in the cold silence as the person tapped her chin with long fingers before stretching them out and over the item below, which swirled to life at the silent magical command. Images of the different realms appeared and floated on its surface in a series of pictures, spanning from Wonderland to the Enchanted Forest to the ever elusive Neverland—there wasn't a place that was off limits to the globe.

"Let's see how things are faring in the land of Storybrooke," the figure drawled out, leaning forward in order to see the upcoming pictures the object would soon provide. It first glowed then shimmered into what was desired, instantly illustrating the buildings, cars and streetlights before suddenly shifting to a section of the main street, where three individuals were seen conversing; two of whom were blonde females while the other was a dark haired male. Intrigued by the apparent seriousness of their conversation, the orb was then instructed to zoom and focus in on what they were saying and when it did, the woman watching gasped out in recognition and anger.

"_Glinda_?! What is she _doing_ there?! She's supposed to be imprisoned in another realm!" The figure then knelt down, practically hunching over the image as she observed and listened raptly to what was being said:

"_You have to be of a pure heart, mind and spirit in order to do so_"…

"… _the savior_? _Well, my name is Emma Swan and... it's me. I'm who you want_"…

"NO!" The woman shrieked when she stood up to her full height, her cry echoing out in the empty space around her. With one hand, she released a powerful blast of bluish red ice across the room and as it flew through the air, it produced a loud screeching sound that vibrated off the walls till it collided with the floor, replacing that particular area with a thin layer of clear white frost. Instantly, loud knocks were heard at one the side doors, voices crying out to her from the other side in dread.

"Her majesty is in trouble!"

"Your majesty, are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, you fools!" was the response they received and immediately the noises they were making stopped. She then ordered them to go back to their posts, which they did at once, their feet making creaking sounds when they backed away from the door; unwilling to face her wrath.

Fuming at the now complicated turn of events, the woman started to pace around the orb, glaring at it with an unmatched intensity. Trying to regain both her wits and composure, she brushed back a couple of loose strands that had fallen into her face from its confinement, bending the light pieces of blonde hair behind her ear before taking a couple of breaths. Her powers were thrumming through her veins at an uncontrollable rate, the action making it difficult for her to concentrate on anything else and as the familiar buildup of energy began to form at the base of her fingers, she felt the strain of her old ways begin to tug at her. The sensation increased as her fears grew, ice crystals now began to encase themselves around the tips, the rugged edges both sharp and pointy, even in the poor lighting, but when she closed her eyes to envision certain instances that always helped her manage her powers, everything in her began to calm down. When she was more at ease, she exhaled, releasing all her inhibitions in a cloud of pure coldness.

"Damn…" she stated, acknowledging that she had almost lost control of her feelings, something she hasn't done for a long time. _It doesn't bother me anymore_, she thought with a spiteful smile, trying to shake all of her emotions away. Upon reopening her eyes, she then turned her attention back to the globe and shot a hand out over it, summoning its powers once more.

"Bring me Zelena," the woman stated and watched as it instantly repeated its earlier process but instead of presenting her with the witch's image, nothing happened, which meant that the connection either didn't work or she was being disregarded. Feeling a twitch of irritation, she closed her eyes again and raised one of her hands. A small ball of mist then formed in the center of her palm, crackling like electricity and brightening the room up like a thunderstorm would the night sky. She began rolling it over and under her fingers, keeping herself occupied as she observed the hues of red streaks delicately weave itself in and out of the blue ones; her anger trying to manipulate her again. _She wouldn't dare ignore me,_ she thought straightforwardly. _The consequences would be most severe if she did…_

Then, as if by coincidence, the surface cleared and within seconds, the face of the Wicked Witch appeared, an eyebrow raised in surprise when she spoke with a hint of mockery, "_Yes_, your iciness?"

The woman smiled, gulping down the displeasure she felt. "I'm just checking in on you, my dear. I do hope that all is going well and that you're successfully harvesting the ingredients needed to perform the curse."

"Everything is going smoothly," Zelena replied with an easy smile. "I just need to obtain the blood and the heart."

"Excellent, be sure to let me know when you make progress. All my hopes depend on your success, dear and if _you_ fail; your dreams and my wishes go with it."

Zelena rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You know, for someone who calls herself the 'Ice Queen', you sure do lack a cool temperament."

The woman let out a chilly laugh but it didn't reach her eyes. Zelena cleared her throat ardently and asked if there was anything else she wanted to discuss with her and as the image of Glinda came into her mind, the Ice Queen paused and thought about her answer. Should she tell her that the Good Witch of the South was there in Storybrooke or should she let this be an opportunity for Zelena to prove her self-worth to her? _If she succeeds, she passes the test but if she fails…all that I've hoped for would go to waste...Unless, there's another way…_she thought, a sudden idea forming in her mind.

"No," she replied with a two-faced smile, the mist in her hand disappearing at her new decision. "There's nothing else. Do you have any questions for me before we part?"

"Well, I do actually have a concern," Zelena began, wiping a bead of sweat off of her forehead. "It concerns the baby." The Ice Queen raised a brow, silently permitting her to continue.

"Snow White isn't due for at least a week and I've already started, how am I to proceed if the baby doesn't come in the next three days?"

The other woman stared at her as if she was joking. "You just need the heart, am I correct?" Zelena nodded in regards to the question. "Then take it. A heart is a heart no matter how small and since our plan is already in motion, you need to do whatever it takes to complete it."

"Are you saying that I can take it from the womb?"

The Ice Queen paused briefly before flatly responding, "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." Her answer caused Zelena to swallow hard, not even _she_ had enacted a cruel act upon another person during a pregnancy, but she wasn't willing to ruin both their chances at a fresh start. Licking her dry and cracked lips, a question formed in her mind but before she could share it, the other woman interjected pointedly.

"You're curious as to _how_ you can do it. Well, I thought that the answer would've been quite obvious, you're going to have to use _her_, of course."

Zelena tilted her head slightly as if she didn't understand but when the Ice Queen elaborated, her expression changed from puzzlement to a sly, malevolent smile. "That's a brilliant idea. It's a wonder that I didn't come up with it myself…"

"Yes, we all have our little talents, don't we, dear?" She responded with a chuckle before dismissing their conversation, leaving Zelena alone with her new task and thoughts. By herself, once more, in her throne-room, the Ice Queen looked at the spot where she had created a thin layer of ice in her moment of frustration and smiled, unevenly. "Oh, _this_ is going to be fun…"

**…**

**The story is beginning to pick up! Stay tuned for more, as the Ice Queen would say, "fun"! ;D**


	5. The History Of Oz (Part One)

**Thanks for all the reviewing, following and favoring of my story! I really appreciate it :]**

**The overdosing of chapters is sure to come! I feel it in my bones...**

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: When Glinda arrived, Hook was highly suspicious of her but Emma believed her and confessed to being the savior. They then made their way to the loft to talk while a dejected Hook headed in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, in another realm, the Ice Queen discovered that Glinda had mysteriously found her way into Storybrooke but after contacting and requesting a progress report from Zelena, she decided not to tell her about it.**

**The Ice Queen may also have a backup plan should everything fail...**

**I hope that you will enjoy this, it**_**is**_**a semi-long and detailed chapter but I just wanted to give you as much information as humanly possible.**

**...**

****UPDATE: Major editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/25/2014.**

**…**

**Chapter Five: The History Of Oz—Part One**

**…**

**E**mma turned the handle to her parent's front door and pushed it open, the familiar space beckoning to her tired joints and muscles after she pocketed the set of keys she was holding into her leather jacket. _Someone_ had locked the door after she had left, which forced her to exert more energy than normal to get inside, but lucky for her, she surprisingly still had the spare key they had given her a while back. Exhausted, she held back a yawn, completely loving the idea of taking the kid back to the B&amp;B so she could throw herself onto her bed and fall into a deep sleep, but she knew that it would all be pointless. The idea of truly resting was like a distant dream, a foreign concept, which had been evading her ever since Hook, somehow, had found his way to New York to (successfully) give her back her memories.

From the moment she had returned to Storybrooke, she had been weighed down by her savior responsibilities and even though she knew that they _needed_ her and that she should just accept it, she wished that there could've been some other way, some other option they could've taken, so that she didn't _have_ to deal with _this_ anymore. Being around all these fairytale creatures, with their constant need for violent domination, was taking an emotional toll on her, with or without her magical abilities, but regardless of her complaints; she knew that she was going to help them because she did care about the people who lived here.

This situation, when compared to past ones, was a complicated mess and she'll do whatever she had to do to stop it, but that was it. After this little adventure of catching and stopping Zelena, they would just have to come up with other ways of saving themselves because she was done for _good_. She had decided this on her way back to the loft with Glinda, and there was no changing her mind. She had always wanted a home, a place that she could call her own without it being taken away, and it was time that she had found it. Henry not having his memories of Storybrooke, or magic in general, could very well be a blessing in disguise and even though she knew it was going to be difficult, she felt like she couldn't stay here anymore, like she didn't belong—_I never belonged_...

She then sighed, starring at whatever was in front of her passively, but until that day comes, she would just have to deal with the sleepless nights, the constant worrying over who's going to be harmed or killed next, and whether or not she's even capable of defeating the never-ending line of villains that always seemed to be stronger than her. _If only they had their memories of the last year_, she thought bitterly, _I probably could've been gone by now…_

Sighing, again, at her inner exasperations, she turned her head to look at Glinda, who was curiously peeking into the room from her position in the hallway. Observing that neither of them had moved inside yet, Emma then addressed her with half a smile. "Here we are. My parents are probably upstairs with my son, but you're welcomed to sit down and get comfortable. Just watch out for the glass…"

Emma had said the last part with a wince when she remembered that she had some explaining to do, as well as a massive cleaning project ahead of her, but when Glinda walked in, to explore the new area, Emma heard her say something odd.

"What glass? It looks perfectly fine in here…"

Confused, because her warning should've been obvious, Emma finished closing the door behind them and turned around, where she instantly noticing that she was right: the floor was completely spotless! There wasn't a piece of glass or a utensil in sight. "What the…?" She started as she walked about the room, feeling slightly guilty at the thought that they had cleaned up after her. Wondering how long she had been gone, she looked at the clock and noticed that nearly forty-five minutes had passed since she was last there. Groaning out her shame, she wandered back over to where Glinda was and opened her mouth to call out to them, a thousand different apologizes bumping around in her head, but her mom beat her to it.

"Oh, Emma, you're home!"

Emma then looked up to see her parents coming down the stairs, David followed his wife, gently making sure that she didn't stumble by having a supervisory hand stretched out near her back, and once they were at ground level, Mary Margaret made her way over to her daughter while he leaned against the kitchen island; both of whom, apparently, unaware of the other person in the room.

"Henry is still upstairs but has fallen asleep," David informed her as if reading one of her thoughts. "That kid tuckered himself out by playing that game of his."

"Okay, that's fine. Look, guys, I'm sorry that I've been gone longer than expected but I do have something to say…" Emma responded with a nod, her fingers flexing nervously.

"Does it concern the walk you had to take in order for you to clear your head?" Mary Margaret asked. She had a mischievous glint in her eyes and it was pointed directly at Emma, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Knowing that she was most likely referring to the situation between her and Hook, since she _did_ abruptly leave right after him and they _were_ in the middle of a heated conversation when they arrived home, she thought it best to change topics. She wasn't in the mood to talk about him anyway, especially having just banned him from her and her family's lives; the details of which could definitely be saved for another day. "Umm, _yes_, it does because while doing so, I bumped into somebody." She gestured her hands off to her left side, as if displaying whatever it was she had brought home for them to see.

Mary Margaret's brow furrowed when she tilted her head to see around Emma, who was involuntarily blocking Glinda from them. Noticing this, she took a large cross step to her right so they would have a view of the strawberry blonde, who immediately offered them a warm and pleasant smile when she was finally seen.

"Oh," Mary Margaret said as she stroked her stomach, giving Emma a brief sideways glance before looking back at the unknown woman, wearily. "Hello, my name is Mary Margaret and…um…welcome to our home."

Glinda visibly blinked at the introduction, a memory had stirred in her mind at the other woman's words but it didn't take long for her to, wordlessly, make the connection between Mary Margaret and her counterpart from the Enchanted Forest. Then, without speaking, she bowed at the waist, formally putting a leg behind her, while also properly placing both of her hands out to each respectable side; her fingers curved at an upwards angle. When she resumed her upright position, she noticed their surprise looks and thought it best to explain. "I know who you are, Snow White and Prince Charming, I have known of your kindness for many years but never got an opportunity to introduce myself before my banishment."

David moved closer to his wife with an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "You were banished? Where were you sent to?"

"I was banished to another realm _within_ the dark section of the Enchanted Forest. It was designed so I wouldn't be able to get out without using an excessive amount of magic, which I must admit, drained the majority of my powers." She stopped to glance down at the metal rod she had been holding ever since her arrival; a protective gleam in her eyes. "It took some time, approximately ten years to both cultivate and accumulate the amount necessary to do so, but when I did; I made my way back to my homeland, back to Oz."

"What's your name?" Mary Margaret asked sympathetically, obviously touched by her story.

"My name is Glinda, but I'm also known by other titles throughout the different realms. Some may know me as the 'Good Witch of the South', the 'Southern Witch of Oz', the 'Royal Sorceress of Oz' or the 'Good Fairy'. All of which are true, but my position is much more than being a witch, a sorceress or a fairy…I'm one of the Guardians and Protectors of Pure Magic."

Her response had an immediate effect on the Charming's, specifically when her name was given. Emma suspected that they must've heard about her, in some way or form, in their past lives, but when a sort of stunned silence began to envelope around them, she cleared her throat; trying to avoid the possibility of an awkward moment. Wanting to know the reason for her being here, Emma glanced about the room before politely offering her a seat, taking her fatigue into account, but Glinda respectively declined, she wanted to tell her story standing up. She was about to plunge right in when she was then interrupted by an unexpected person.

"Did I just hear someone make a reference to 'Oz'?"

Everybody turned around to find Regina coming down the stairs. Emma's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open a bit. "What are _you_ doing here?"

With an attitude that only Regina could deliver, she climbed down the rest of the steps and turned her full her attention to her protégé. "I originally came here to check in on you, so we could perhaps continue where we left off but, instead, I had to clean up what appeared to be a practicing session gone wrong...at Mary Margaret and David's request." Emma then rolled her eyes, trying to hide her embarrassment before glaring at her parents, upset that they didn't tell her that Regina had stopped by the _moment_ she had gotten home.

"Apparently, I had missed you by mere minutes. I do hope that your conversation with your _boyfriend_, the pirate, was worth your time."

At the description of Hook, Emma felt her heart jump and her stomach clench. Looking down, so she could potentially hid the painful expression that was beginning to cloud her face, she tried to block out the many different images of him that were suddenly spiraling inside of her head, like his smile...his eyes...and his as—STOP IT! She screamed inwardly, mentally clamping her hands down over her ears. I don't LIKE HIM like THAT.

"_Boyfriend_?" David questioned after a few seconds; as if Regina's words had finally sunken in. He then snapped his eyes over to his daughter for some sort of confirmation, but at his latent response, Emma had already turned her once challenging glare down to the floor, completely unable to look at him while he was in his fatherly state-of-mind.

"David..." Mary Margaret trailed off, sighing at his tone.

"Wake up and smell the coffee, Charming," Regina stated. "The signs have been there for a while now."

"He's _not_ my boyfriend," Emma interjected, speaking up for herself. "And he _never_ will be."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Regina began before she continued on with what she was previously talking about. "Anyway, I had to make up for the free time I had so I decided to check in on Henry, but he was sleeping. So, I just..." she cleared her throat, "...watched him for a while."

"Hmm," was all Emma allowed herself to say because she, unfortunately and involuntarily, reminded herself that Regina was in a tough position when it came to Henry, right now. It must be so hard for her to see the boy she had raised from infancy act so unresponsive to her and if they were in each other's shoes, she wouldn't know how to handle it...in fact, since she was already on the subject, this was the main reason why leaving Storybrooke would be so difficult. If she took Henry with her, which she planned on doing, Regina would fight her tooth and nails in order to bring him back; including using her magical powers against her, which she wasn't looking forward to.

Deciding to deflect away from her thoughts, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave her a steely gaze. "Perhaps you would like to join us. We were in the middle of something before you popped out of nowhere."

Regina scoffed and looked like she was about to reply when she then caught Glinda's form in her peripheral vision. "Who is _this_?" she asked, looking at everybody incredulously, shocked that they would allow a complete stranger into their house given everything that has been going on around them.

"My name is Glinda and _I_ was the one who mentioned Oz, Regina." Glinda answered informally, her hands clasped out in front of her, the rod firmly fixed in-between her fingers.

At the mention of her name, Regina's eyes narrowed, but then they quickly widened when she filtered what else had been said. "Wait, did you say that your name is '_Glinda_'? That's impossible. You were banished to another realm."

"Do you know each other?" David asked, moving his eyes between the two women.

"Not personally," Regina stated slowly as she continued to stare at the witch. "But as the Evil Queen, I was once determined to wipe out all the good magic I could find as some sort of an insurance policy. I wanted to face as little resistance as possible in my reign, but _Glinda_, when she was still in Oz doing whatever her job entailed, made sure that that idea didn't happen…"

"I was doing my duty and I would do it again," Glinda said, plainly but unrepentantly. As she watched the exchange, Emma couldn't help but to smile at the pricelessness of the situation. This sweet woman was going toe-to-toe with her magical mentor and was holding her own, which isn't something one sees on a daily basis, so when those moments happen, it was something to pay attention to, not ignore. But when Emma shifted her eyes back to observe Regina's reactions, she noticed that she looked…different. There was a slight tinge of grey to her normally flawless skin as well as some dark looking marks beginning to take shape underneath her eyes—not to mention that her posture wasn't projecting her usual self-assured nobility.

"Regina," Emma suddenly said, her amusement fully disappearing into concern as soon as Regina shifted to look at her, giving her a better view of her face. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine…" she answered, but unconvincingly.

"Are you sure? You don't look so 'fine'…"

"Now that you mention it," Mary Margaret chimed in. "You do look pale. Do you need to sit down?" She gave a look over to her husband, who was about to go get an extra chair, but Regina shook her head.

"I wasn't going to _say_ anything but…it's…it's my heart," Regina said, closing her eyes momentarily while bringing a hand up to rub at one of her temples. "I don't know how to really explain it but it feels like she isn't interested in keeping it safe anymore, like it's not a part of her master plan. It's either that, which is a dangerous thought, or she's _playing_ with it, reminding me that she has some control over me." At everybody's alarmed faces, she then added to her statement: "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Zelena just wants to have the satisfaction of thinking that she can best me, but she won't, I'll ultimately win the war."

As a way to turn the conversation back to the newcomer and away from herself, Regina then crossed her arms. "So, how did you manage to find your way to Storybrooke? I'm sure that traveling through realms would take a lot of strength and magical ability."

"She was just about to tell us that when you interrupted," Emma said, coming to Glinda's defense. She didn't expect flowers or a parade from her, especially now that their past history has been revealed, but enough was enough. She didn't care _how_ sick she was. At her tone, Regina turned back towards her, but this time, she wore a glare so intense that it could've rivaled the sun; however, Emma didn't budge or flinch underneath it; like most would. She resolutely held her ground.

"Okay, stop it," David announced, sternly. His arms and hands stretched out, one pointed at each of them, "Let's give Glinda the chance to finish talking. She's come a long way and is obviously in need of our help. So, I would appreciate it if you two would stop bickering and start acting like grownups."

When neither said anything back, probably too stunned to do so, David took it as a silent agreement on their behalf. He then looked at Glinda, who was (once again) patiently waiting, and politely asked her to continue.

"I shall give you all the facts," she said, looking at each individual with her lavender eyes, imploring them to listen to her story. "…And I will do so by starting from the beginning." When there were no objections of any kind, she took a deep breath and began talking about the history of Oz.

"In the olden days, the Land of Oz was inhabited only by a group of people known as 'munchkins', small structured individuals who possessed no magical abilities themselves but _knew_ how to care for the place that did. Everything changed when a large population of witches and wizards came, their reasons for leaving their own worlds has varied over the years, but they managed to prove themselves worthy to the natives who, eventually, allowed them to stay. Soon, a council was born and there, it was decided that those same strangers would govern over the most supernatural realm of all time, by a majority vote. It wasn't said _how_ this came about, for there are no specific records concerning this matter, but the munchkins were reported to have approved of the said notion. As time passed, everything was fine till they discovered a major flaw…their high levels of magic were conflicting with the lands', causing high spikes of instability. They found a solution…one that should've created a form of balance in Oz…they _had_ to equally distribute their magic across the lands by dividing up all of the council members into four even categories, each one representing a cardinal direction: _north_, _south_, _east_ and _west_. Once established, it appeared to have worked. There were no outrageous problems in the forty year reign of the council, who had begun to cover the land in colorful buildings and roads, particularly the Emerald City, but once again, they were mistaken. Sudden and strange disasters began to occur, natural to other worlds but not to Oz: earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions and constant thunderstorms laid waste to the lands, devastating lives and tearing apart the very core of its foundation. The surviving witches and wizards knew that they had to do something, something more permanent and drastic, so they sought out a young prodigy with prominent skills and intellect who had the means to help them."

"When the young man heard of their troubles, he agreed to help and traveled a great distance before his arrival, where he performed a series of meditative and complicated experiments. After a while, he came to a realization: the large amounts of concentrated energy had pushed the land to its limit, further damaging the already strained environment; even though it had managed to sustain them for some time. He then told the council to disperse for having too many people with extraordinary magical abilities was problematic and with heavy hearts, they did as he asked, but as the years went by, the land was _still_ unsettled. The wizard was then summoned again and it was at this period in time that he gave them a more practical solution to their problems through another series of tests. He discovered that for more promising results, they needed only _four_ individuals of immense skill, heart, talent and intellect to represent each of their directorial points. Hungry with desperation, they agreed and with the prodigy's help, they crafted four distinct and mysterious crystals that were, and still are, capable of selecting a wielder by using a powerful, as well as an unusual, detecting spell; for it can choose a person based on their: worthiness, personality, power or _all three._ And those who were, and are, chosen would be known henceforth as the 'Sacred Four', the 'Guardians and Protectors of Pure Magic' in the 'Order of Merlin'—the latter named in honor of the prodigy who had assisted them."

"Wait, _Merlin_ was the one who helped established Oz?" Regina asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Glinda replied, her eyes beaming. "As I understood it from the Scroll, he became a legend in his own right and fashioned a new style of magic that is still practiced to this day: potions and spells. He also helped an 'Arthur' into establishing his _own_ kingdom, creating what you have called the 'Arthurian Legend'…"

"Wow," David said, resting a hand on one of Mary Margaret's shoulders.

"…Isn't being a _Guardian_ and a _Protector_ the same thing?" Emma interjected, bringing them back to what she believed were the more important factors in Glinda's tale.

"No, surprisingly it's not. A _Guardian_ is more of a selected category you're placed into based on what either effects your powers _or_ what you stand for, whereas, being a _Protector_ is something that you'll ultimately represent based on your character or personality—usually, anyway. As I have said, the crystals are mysterious objects…but I shall provide you with an example nonetheless," she explained while raising the rod slightly in her hands. "I'm the Southern Witch of the Highest Order of Merlin, the Guardian of Knowledge and Wisdom and the Protector of the Winds, an 'ever-changing and adaptable notion that is capable of fulfilling both the ephemeral of desires to the most sensible of wishes through profound belief'...it was my job to watch over the Quadling Country, one section of the split lands, and I plan on doing so again, once everything is completed in my mission…at least I hope to."

She then cleared her throat before continuing with her anecdote. "That was the way of Oz for many years…the crystals would choose their heirs during a ceremonial event, once the previous wielders had passed on, but if it didn't, it would lie dormant. For one cannot be appointed based on human choices. It was designed that way so that the future line wouldn't be skewed or twisted through greedy influences and/or intentions, keeping the guarded magic untainted…_pure_."

"How did you become the Southern Witch of this _Order_?" Regina asked with a tilt of her head, she appeared to be genuinely interested in what was being said.

"By the process used at the ceremony after the previous holder dies. If the person of its choosing is in the same area _it_ is in, then it'll glow a color that best illustrates them. When I was selected, mine radiated the color _pink_, which means unconditional love, understanding and nurturing..."

"So...that's why when you healed me, the light was a pinkish color?" Emma asked, referring to the monkey incident.

"Yes."

"Wow," Mary Margaret stated, completely in awe—unintentionally bypassing what her daughter had just said about being wounded. "It must be fascinating to be the most powerful witch of Oz."

"Oh, I'm not the most powerful, I am considered to be the second. It goes in order of how people typically say the cardinal directions."

"So…'_north_' is the most powerful?" Emma thought out loud, nodding her head in understanding.

Glinda smiled. "Yes, for whatever reason, _that_ particular crystal is the strongest and most believe that that is the case because that's how a leader should be; sturdy and dependable. It has grown so potent that over time, it has been able to endow the wielder with the ability of foresight—predicting a new holder…it's as if it matures with every new experience."

"Sounds like a ton of responsibility…" Emma breathed out, shaking her head when she imagined how insignificant her Savior duties must be when compared to the Northern Witch's.

"Exactly," Glinda said with a brighter smile, her eyes happily fixed on Emma. "It's truly a spectacular thing when it happens because not only does it transform your destiny, it physically transforms _itself_. This," she paused, finally addressing the cryptic object she had been carefully protecting by raising it up, the length of it vertically extending past the top of her head. "Is _my_ crystal in its second stage…of which there are three: the dormant or 'the sleeping crystal', the wand and then the staff…I prefer mine to be like this since it's easier for me to flow my abilities through it, plus…it's perfect for traveling in concealment or any such nature. There's nothing more obvious than having a floating object hovering beside you while you walk around..."

The now revealed-to-be wand glistened in the artificial lighting, catching everybody's eyes, but after a moment, she brought it back down, so she could hold it in both of her hands. She stroked it with her thumbs before she spoke again. "As you can see, my wand is a sort of silver, metallic color and that's _not_ how it's supposed to look. It's _supposed_ to glow, but due to my lack of energy and weakness being projected onto it, it has considerably dulled...My crystal also has the remarkable ability of following my emotions…"

Looking up, she made eye contact with each person in the room. "The beginning of the end started when a self-proclaimed wizard found his way into Oz from a place called 'Kansas' and gained the civilians trust over our own, who were developing a rebellious streak towards known authority figures. His appearance casted the scale off balance and I was sent out by the Northern Witch to try and reason with him, to explain that he needed to leave for the good of Oz, but the people prevented me, so we unwillingly allowed the foolishness to continue. Soon, the Wizard grew greedy and when my meetings did little to sway him, he banned my appearance in the Capital, as well as my fellow practitioners..._but_ it was when the Western Witch died that that's when everything deteriorated...for you see, afterwards, was the birth and dawn of the _Wicked_ Witch's reign of power…"

**…**

**Stay tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuneeeeeeedddddd :] Things are about to get real.**

**Review if you can!**


	6. The History Of Oz (Part Two)

**I loved writing this one!**

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: After Emma brought Glinda to the loft and introduced her to her parents and Regina; the Good Witch started telling them all about the history of Oz, including her own personal position there. She was last seen explaining the downfall of her homeland.**

**Please, enjoy!**

**...**

****UPDATE: Moderate editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/22/2014.**

**…**

**Chapter Six: The History Of Oz—Part Two**

**…**

**I**n a clearing in the woods, a monkey landed with a thud, whimpering a bit as it tried to stay off of its injured limb. Smacking its lips together, it gently brought a lumpy finger down to its wound but as soon as it made contact, it cried out in pain, the new throbbing sensation radiating a fresh wave of discomfort throughout its entire body. Leaning forward a bit, it looked up and gently flapped its wings in the soft even breeze, thinking about taking off so it could find a safe haven before going back to its mistress with news of a newcomer.

…A woman who had the ability to shoot out pink bursts of magic…

Shaking its head as it tried to ignore the damage to its leg, it took a couple of tentative steps forward, noticeably limping when it did so, and as its eyes started to adjust to the blackened sky…it then heard an unsettling, snapping sound to its left.

Now on high alert, the monkey peered into the direction it came from, folding its wings back into its sides as if trying to appear small to the possible predator. Its ears were high in vigilance as it waited for something to happen, but when nothing did, the monkey slowly turned away, its tense body starting to relax when it cautiously extended its giant wings back into the air. The wind then shifted in its direction, picking up in speed as it swept through the clearing and enveloped the creature, making the long hairs on its back sway in the chilly breeze, but as it continued to brush pass, a familiar smell circled around its nostrils, immediately catching its attention.

It was a _human_ scent…

Suddenly, a sharp object shot out from behind a bush, aiming for the backside of the monkey but missed due to the rearranging of the wind. Screeching from the impending ambush, it turned around to confront its attacker, its mouth wide open while its claws began to emerge from the tips of its fingers in a blind fury.

"Come on, men!" the leader yelled as he held his crossbow up properly, a practiced finger on the trigger. "Aim for something tender…Dr. Whale and Mother Superior want to study one of these things with the hope of finding a cure for the transformed."

"Then why don't you shoot this…_tranquilizer gun_ instead of us?" One of the men responded, holding up the weapon with one hand, awkwardly.

"I work better with an arrow," the first man replied, his eyes trained on the furious animal in front of him. "And I'm more of a precautionary for _you_, should something go wrong. Plus…I'm not the one who volunteered us for this type of mission…"

"Leave the lad alone, Robin, you're just mad because you're not spending time with that lady friend of yours," said a third person in a teasing tone.

The man identified as Robin couldn't help but to smile at the thought of Regina, the lady who has been repairing his guilt-ridden and broken heart with her company alone. They have been spending a lot of time together and not being with her right now was creating a dull ache in his chest. The sooner this was over, the sooner he could go find her and end his suffering. "True," he admitted, still pointing his crossbow at the creature. "Now, let's finish this."

As if on cue, the monkey let out a roaring sound before lunging at them, the limp in its leg less noticeable in its anger, but just when the one holding the tranquilizer gun raised it and pointed at _it_ with the intent to shoot, the monkey was already upon them. Smacking the weapon away with the ease of one of its long arms, it then flourished a wing and pulled it inwards, slightly enfolding the frontal part of its body, before releasing it with a pulverizing backhanded force; knocking the men down in one fell swoop. As the other men tried to recover, Robin, who had managed to hold onto his crossbow on the way down, got to his knees and lifted his weapon up at the now retreating animal, which was moving away in great strides. Remembering that it had to be taken in alive, he quickly grabbed the tranquilizer gun from the unconscious man beside him and took aim.

The monkey was running at top speed, power and energy flexing the muscles in its legs and wings as it tried to fly away, but confident in his ability to capture it, Robin—though unpracticed with a gun—leveled it, judging the distance required before he gently squeezed the trigger, the force of the gun pushing his body back. The dart instantly shot out of the muzzle and flew through the air, nearing the behind of the desperate beast, but as close as it was to piercing the tender flesh of a cheek, it unfortunately fell short when the monkey's wings filled up with wind, building and storing enough energy in the folds to help it take off into the night sky; ruining their chances of bringing something back with them to Storybrooke.

"Dammit," Robin stated when he got to his feet, angrily holding the gun in his fingers as he watched it disappear from his view. The other men followed his lead by also standing up, a few of them propping up the injured parties as they turned to leave, but as they started to make their way back into the town, they heard a faint whooshing and snapping sound behind them. Probably thinking that it was too unimportant to investigate, they ignored it, and continued on their way home, a mixture of emotions bombarding them and tugging at their focus, which ultimately prevented them from hearing a loud thumping sound in the distance.

**…**

**B**ack at the loft, the listening parties' ears perked up as soon as Zelena's infamous nickname was mentioned and as Glinda continued, they're interests peaked, hoping that she would share some sort of insight towards what possibly happened in the year they had lost—especially where the Wicked Witch was concerned.

"Oz's downfall was all my doing," she said, lowering the cradled wand till the back of her hands bumped against her thighs. "A few months after our exile from the Emerald City, the Wizard suddenly disappeared, including any writings about him in the Scroll, leading us to believe that something terrible had happened to him—though recently, I've discovered otherwise—but in the past, I was confused as to the meaning of this new dilemma. It was then that the pages began to document warnings about a woman named 'Zelena', who had bestowed upon herself a title, the 'Wicked Witch', and soon afterwards, her misdeeds began to spread; covering the entire realm in her infamy. It was then decided that _I_ would seek a consultation with her, which was easy to do now since our banishment was under the former leader's decree, thus making it void, but when I was able to locate her, I, as if coincidentally, stumbled in on her using her powers. Her gifts were _incredible._She was far more experienced than specified, which easily swayed me into accepting a surprising notion: what if _she_ was the successor to my departed colleague, the previous Western Witch? Zelena definitely appeared to be a decent candidate, minus her extensive faults, and despite it not being my place to make such assumptions, for the crystal alone can determine its own wielder, I thought it best to persuade her to come back with me so I could find out for sure."

"It should've been my first indication when she showed a disinterest at the thought of joining us since she was more occupied with her thirst for revenge, which had literally turned her _green_ with envy, but I refused to quit. The feeling I had about her being a part of the Sacred Four lingered in my mind and only grew stronger when I consulted the records, which gave me a positive outcome as to her future _SHOULD_ she fully commit to our cause..._but_, if she continued down her current path, Oz would face a subjugation unlike anything it had ever seen."

"And you know about this because of a _scroll_?" Regina questioned, an eyebrow raised in suspicion and doubt.

Glinda glanced at her and gave her a subtle nod. "...Yes. Oh, I forgot to say that since I'm the Southern Witch, my duties extend to being the Scroll Keeper, which basically entails me guarding over a booklet as it records the past, present and perceivable future on a sheet of parchment. The warnings that I had mentioned earlier in regards to Zelena had come from those pages, as well as all of the background information I have been telling you. It is an ancient instrument of magic and the only one of its kind throughout all the realms—Merlin apparently didn't feel the need to create another."

"Despite this supposedly 'powerful' scroll having the gift of prediction; it couldn't tell you that all of _this_, like your banishment to the Enchanted Forest, was going to happen?" Regina continued with a mocking tone in her voice.

Glinda paused, trying to figure out an easy way to explain the complicated object she was entrusted with. "It _did_, but only after a specific point had already occurred. Since it can only perceive what's going to occur in the future, its insight concerning impending events is somewhat limited because of our ability to change. We're constantly adapting to new situations or altering our minds based on our ability to process the different paths we can take in life; causing the Scroll to rewrite itself, _constantly_. The only portions that seem to be certain are the prophesizes, such as Emma being the Savior of Storybrooke."

Emma winced inwardly at the reference but chose not to address it. All this information about Oz, a place that was really different from the things she was raised with, was getting very interesting; however, she could feel her mind starting to shut down because of her ongoing fatigue and decided to speed the process along for the selfish reason of beating her insomnia. "Sooo, it predicts the likelihood of what's to come based on the decision a person makes?"

"Precisely," Glinda stated, happy that somebody was able to understand what she had been trying to say. "It's hard to read at first but with practice and time, it becomes easier..."

Registering her words, Emma then prodded her to finish her story. "What happened next?"

"The Scroll, more or less, gave me a positive confirmation about my inklings towards her, which pushed me into having more meetings with her, some with permission from the Northern Witch, _some_ without, and after weeks of coaxing on my part…I finally managed to convince her that her revenge wouldn't give her the satisfaction she was looking for and that it wouldn't make up for the years she had lost. When she seemingly accepted those particular realizations, her skin returned to its natural pigmentation, making me believe that her miraculous rehabilitation was _real_. What I did next; however, would change things permanently" she then took a breath "…After much consideration, I decided to bring her back to our Hallowed House, which can be found a little ways outside of the Emerald City..."

"I'm sorry, the 'Hallowed House'?" Emma asked, curiously.

"It's the place where the Sacred Four convene and store our magical properties. It's like our other home when we're away from our given Countries," she responded, a reminiscent twinkle in her eyes. "It's protected by all kinds of good magic which has made it a safe place to stay in troubled times, a fortress, if you will; especially since no evil can pass through its doors."

"We could definitely use some of that here…" Emma commented, making a fleeting glance towards the stairs, her thoughts wandering over to her son, who, she hoped, was still asleep and not poking around.

"Perhaps," Glinda whispered in agreement. "Well, in doing so, I had broken an important rule…no one is allowed to bring a stranger into the House without getting permission from the other members, but I felt that my situation was a just cause to ignore it. She showed great interest in the place upon arrival, which I took as a genuine show of emotion, and when I noticed that the others were gone, I took her to the room where we kept the crystals to either confirm or reduce my confidence. Knowing that we were still out of favor with the civilians of Oz, the ceremonial event wasn't an option to use, so I took it upon myself to perform the added duties. I gave a speech and handed her the only available crystal there, which she gladly accepted, but to my amazement and shock, it responded to her presence almost immediately. She didn't even have to touch it for it to glow, which ultimately proved that what I had been sensing was the absolute truth. She _was_ the new holder of the Western Crystal."

"So, that's how Zelena got her name? That explains a lot," David breathed out, piecing the dots together aloud.

"Why were _you_ able to predict her as the Western Witch?" Mary Margaret then asked; her brows furrowed together in confusion while she rubbed her stomach absentmindedly.

Glinda thought about it for a minute but then shook her head. "I honestly don't know. No one has ever been able to predict a wielder, it's too complicated to do, and it was never in our responsibility to do so. My guess is as good as yours…" she cleared her throat for a moment before she looked at David. "But _yes_, she ended up symbolizing the West and still claims to, to this day, even though she no longer has her crystal—the location of it remains unknown to the Scroll and, therefore to myself—however, my concern lies with more _pressing_ matters," she then paused again. "First, I must confess my frustration to you aloud. It was supposed to be her _fresh_ start at a new life but as the old feelings of abandonment began to stir again inside of her, she lost control and allowed it to consume her. She soon reverted back to her old ways, her skin revealing the true color she was underneath, and when I tried to assist her, she responded by sealing me away in another dimension with the assistance of her then active crystal, where I stayed for a total of thirty one years. I couldn't imagine what she was doing in Oz while I was gone, but I knew that it wasn't good."

"It took me a decade to get out, but when I did, the portal I had created was strong enough to transport me to the place I desired to go to the most. As soon as I got to my homeland, however, I knew that I had failed…" A tear sprung from one of her eyes and rolled down the soft curve of her cheek, trailing past her chin before descending to the floor. Feeling the weight of her emotions, Mary Margaret got up from her seat and pulled Glinda in for a tight hug. She understood the pain she was going through, from her living in exile to the thought of being a complete failure, but as she leaned back to peer at the witch's face, she got the feeling that there was more to her depressing story.

Glinda thanked Mary Margaret for her kindness but felt that she didn't deserve it. "If I had done my job properly, it wouldn't have escalated this far…"

"You did what you thought was right!" Mary Margaret told her, wiping away the tear stains, her motherly disposition showing through her kindness. "She's the one who didn't listen, who didn't heed your words! A person can only go so far to help someone, especially if they're unwilling to accept it."

Gently pushing herself away from the loving embrace Emma's mother was giving her, Glinda used the back of a hand to wipe away the remaining wetness from her cheek, her wand glistening in the artificial light. "But it was my _job_ to know…instead of doing what I should have, I _aided_ her. I shaped her into who she is now."

"But didn't you say that the crystal is the one that chooses its holder?" David asked, taking a couple steps closer so he could stand near his wife. "If that's the case, then it's not your fault at all."

"I did and that is true, but if I had shown some restraint and _waited_ to give it to her, things could've turned out differently. I was so excited at the thought of finding a potential Sister of the Order that I acted irrationally. If I had…if I had held back till she had proven herself _worthy_ of the crystal, she permanently could've been purged of her fears and revengeful nature."

"Are you saying that if you had waited till she wasn't so full of hatred," Emma began, the realization hitting her. "Then she possibly could've been a good witch in the Sacred Four?"

Glinda nodded silently, her eyes cast down to the floor. Emma brought her hands up to her face and rubbed at her temples, all of this information was really starting to overload her senses. The room then fell into a discerning silence as they processed the new information they had just received about their foe.

"Am I to understand," Regina then said, bravely speaking up, "that these crystals are powerful enough to influence a _person_?" Her eyes flashed dangerously while her hands settled upon her hips, resting comfortably.

"As I have said, they can transform your destiny."

"Then…you _are_ to blame for everything that has happened here. If you had shown some common sense back in Oz, we wouldn't be in this situation now." Regina spat, her pent up frustration spewing out of her in vehemence spades. It was because of _her_ actions that Zelena had apparently gotten stronger and it was time that somebody held this "Good Witch" accountable. "All the deaths that she has caused, all the bad things she has done is because of _you_."

"I know that you don't have your heart right now, but that's no way to talk to somebody who's trying to help us." Emma stated, taking a challenging step forward in Glinda's defense, again.

"And _why_ don't I have my heart? Oh, I _know_, because of my revenge seeking sister who is bent on destroying all of us, no thanks to _her_!" Regina responded, thrusting an accusatory finger in Glinda's direction.

"If I remember correctly, that theme or…_apple_ doesn't fall far from your family tree," Emma retorted; projecting her entire attention and weariness onto her mentor. "In fact, I'm pretty sure that if you _didn't_ cast the first curse, then _none_ of this would be happening right now."

"Okay, stop it you two—" Mary Margaret said, trying her best to end the verbal feud but her voice wasn't loud enough to compete with them, so, David then tried to intervene, like he did the last time, but he too was ignored.

"Oh please, don't try to justify Zelena's _and_ Glinda's actions by comparing them to my _own_. They aren't the same and you know it!"

"How are they NOT the same? You—"

"Enough!" Glinda shouted, a harmless, but bright, pink spark erupted from the tip of her wand when she raised it at arm's length, immediately accomplishing her goal of getting their attention with one swift movement. Everybody's eyes were wide when they complied with her order—both Emma and Regina relented in their stance against one another by either turning away or taking a few steps back. The vulnerable and sweet façade, of moments passed, completely vanished when Glinda adopted a new and fearsome expression, one of fiery eyes and profound determination. "There isn't enough time for pointless bickering or dramatics of precedence. What's done is done...plus," she reasoned, "we don't want to wake up the boy who's upstairs."

She then turned to look at Regina, who tried to conceal the nervous tick one of her eyebrows made by blinking. "I understand your position and what you say is true, but that's exactly the reason why I decided to act. I went back to Oz not only because I missed my homeland, but to confront _her_. To save what it was that I helped destroyed. But when I got there, it was desolate, blood-soaked and filled with wretched souls who looked desperate enough to wish for death! Knowing that I had to find my sisters, I went to our House where I saw their remains _strewn_ out on the lawn, unprotected and unloved, the Eastern Crystal _also_ gone—the whereabouts likewise in an unknown place. The only explanation, for their murder, was that they had to have been drawn out of our magically protected haven...so, fearful for the first time in my life in Oz, I swiftly headed inside where I, thankfully, found the Scroll. I opened it and watched as decades of information flooded its pages, filling them up to the brim, where I indeed learned of my sisters' demise as well as some surprising plot twists along the way. As I skimmed the sheets, trying my best to memorize each important event, each _death_, each vital piece of information, each _creation_ Zelena had designed in my absence—I happened upon the mysterious town of Storybrooke…and its savior."

Glinda then glanced in Emma's direction. "Apparently, there had been a prophesy about one who would be able to save her people from a dark curse, after twenty eight years had passed, and when I read that the result had concluded successfully, I found myself beginning to _hope_; something I hadn't done in a long time. As I continued browsing, determined to find some more information about _you_, Emma, I discovered that you were listed as one 'destined for great things' and I became convinced that you would be able to assist me in what I have to do."

She then made her way over to Emma, who was shell-shocked by Glinda's passionate speech. She took a step back from the imposing witch and pointed at herself. "_Me_? How could I possibly help you in _this_?"

"When we first met in the street, after I saved you from one of Zelena's monkeys, I told you that you could be my only hope and I meant that. There's an evil coming that will destroy all the realms if we don't act quickly."

"The Ice Queen," Emma whispered softly, vaguely remembering what she had told her after she had been attacked. From her peripheral vision, she noticed that her parents were giving her a look that expressed their concern in light of Glinda's words; meaning that they were beginning to understand how the two of them had met. Emma exhaled, she wasn't planning on telling them the details of that situation, whatsoever, but now that _that_ cat was out of the bag... "Do you know what she's planning?"

"The writings mentioned something about a 'black cloud' being powerful enough to do her bidding. She just needs a few potent ingredients to do this but they were, unfortunately, not elaborated on from my perspective. The Ice Queen, however, did manage to achieve some form of alliance with one we're both acquainted with…"

"Zelena," David answered, moving closer to his family who had again, through the midst of the conversation, migrated away from him. Glinda gave him a quick empty half smile, soundlessly informing him that he had guessed correctly. Looking about the room, she took in their somber features. She knew that she had just hit them with some heavy information…but she wasn't through yet. Glinda had just one more thing to tell them and if they thought that what they had just heard was difficult then, what she was about to say next, was going to be a doozy.

Glinda took a breath before speaking again. "When I was able, I summoned another portal. It was a weaker design because of how much magic I had used to create the first, but it suited my purposes. I hastily made my way here, to Storybrooke, with the intention of finding that _hope_ I so longed for." The strawberry blonde's lavender eyes fixed upon Emma's hazel ones and took a step closer, standing only a foot away. "…You."

When Emma couldn't find any words to express what she was feeling, Glinda held out her right hand, shifting the wand over to her left, and waved it; her wrist rolling around in a circular motion. The air then sizzled and burst in front of them as something began to materialize in the middle of her palm; a collection of light was pulling at a stream of magic in an upwards motion before revealing a chunky, diamond-shaped object.

"What is that?" Emma questioned as she staggered a couple paces backwards; her eyes wide. Regina had now moved beside the couple, in order to she get a better look, while Mary Margaret had grabbed her daughter's shoulder in a protective, vise-like grip.

"This," Glinda began, as she looked over the item, "is the last one, in existence, without a master. It is the greatest of them all…the Northern Crystal. I found it inside our House at the same time I had found the Scroll. The previous holder must've thought it wise to leave it behind and she was right. If this fell into the wrong hands, who knows what could happen to it _or_ to the other realms," she then looked at Emma, lowering the object to see her better. "With the rest of my sisters gone, it'll be difficult for Oz to get back on its feet and restoring order would be harder, if not impossible to do, but it doesn't end there; many of the other worlds would suffer as well. So, I need to find the next Northern Witch before this black cloud happens for he or _she_ is the only person who can locate the other two now, since going back to Oz for a public event is unlikely and life-threatening. And I think that I may have found the best candidate to do so or at least start with…"

"Who?" Mary Margaret asked when nobody else dared to, her eyes moving rapidly between Glinda and the sleeping crystal she was displaying.

She hesitated before boldly stating what she had been leading up to the entire time she had been telling her story. "…Who but the Savior of Storybrooke and the product of the greatest True Love there is? _Emma Swan_, the daughter of Snow White and her Prince Charming."

**…**

**S**itting languidly in her throne chair, legs crossed and head propped up by the back of her knuckles, the Ice Queen watched in intrigue as large images flashed across the mirror she had propped up a couple of feet away from her.

"How interesting…" she drawled out when she first observed Glinda explaining to the rest of the room about the Land of Oz before summoning the Northern Crystal, a coveted item in any named realm. Upon seeing it, she leaned forward, biting her lip in amazement.

"So it was _in_ the Hallowed House? No wonder _they_ couldn't find it."

She then waved a finger, changing the picture from the loft to the other different areas within the same town. It soon guided her to a clearing in the woods where a group of armed individuals had surrounded a flying monkey. Noting that it was one of her partner's creations, she raised an eyebrow, wondering what could possibly be interesting about capturing one of those creatures, but when she heard the words "cure" and "tranquilizer gun", she realized that they were planning to transform the beast back into its normal self...if it still had one to go back to...

"They'll have a tough time in doing so…that bit of magic is hard to undo," she mocked, engrossed in what she was watching. As the creature ran to attack the men, she saw that it was injured and without hesitating, she commanded the mirror to zoom in on the wound, finding it odd that such a durable creature would bear a mark or a scar. It was a fresh injury and judging from what she had overheard in Glinda's conversation, this could be the very same monkey they had warded off.

"That must've been the bit of information I had missed," she said when she recalled her discovery of the Southern Witch's new location. Since that happenstance though, she had been keeping a close eye on her, which was a good thing; otherwise, she wouldn't have learned a few details that were, ordinarily, kept by certain individuals.

_Until now_.

As she continued to look at the creature, she soon found what she had been looking for. There, barely discernible to the human eye, was a small puff of residual pink magic gliding around the gaping wound, and because of the Bylaws of Magic, it could've been done by only _one_ individual—the innocent, sweet and _cunning_ Glinda.

Breathing deeply, trying to control her emotions, she watched as the creature got away from its attackers by taking off into the night sky. Her eyes still focused on the mirror, she twirled a loose strand of her hair nervously. "If that _beast_ makes it back to Zelena, then my test would be ruined…"

Knowing her options, she raised a hand and steadily flicked a finger, the practiced motion summoning out a pale blue light, which then glided deliberately over to the mirror. Using her extensive knowledge of transporting through realms, she guided it effortlessly through the surface while simultaneously creating a small portal right in front of the monkey that lived in Storybrooke. The creature stopped, its wings flapping wildly behind it, but before it could react in anyway, the magical wisp lunged forward suddenly and struck it squarely in the chest, over its _heart_. Its mouth dropped open in shock as a stinging pain racked its body, causing its tail to vibrate unnaturally, and as soon as its wings started to slow down; a thick formation of ice began to encase it. Once its entire body was covered in an icy tomb, a hiss of air escaped from its mouth, effectively breathing its last, before it plummeted to the ground at a high speed.

It broke through a couple of branches before crashing with a loud thud, shattering and exploding into different areas of the forest.

"It's always better to keep things on _ice_…" the Ice Queen stated with a wide smile, watching how her deadly decision went unnoticed by the group of men, who had begun to leave the clearing in obvious disappointment. Then, with a lazy hand wave, she closed both the portal in Storybrooke and the images on her mirror so she could lean back into her throne chair, allowing the inevitable darkness to close in around her.

"Zelena," she whispered, staring at the one flicker of light in the room, which was illuminating a wall in the distance. Her thoughts darkened when her present concerns wandered back to her. "You better not fail me…or I might do the same thing to _you_."

**…**

**I hope that you liked it. The next chapter will be here soon!**

**Review if you can!**


	7. A Willing Heart

**Sorry that I haven't written anything for a while! But I'm back!**

****Heads up: I've made some changes to the previous chapters: some minor grammatical and punctuation issues—nothing serious.**

**So finally, the CLIMATIC moment has arrived! I know that it has taken awhile but I wanted you to have the background information so you'd understand what's happening better :]**

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Robin Hood and his men were tasked with bringing one of the many cursed monkey back to Storybrooke for medicinal purposes, but they weren't able to catch any—the one that they almost had also turned out to be the same one that attacked Emma and Hook!**

**Meanwhile, back at the loft, Glinda was still talking about Oz, specifically where Zelena was concerned, but near the end, she made a stunning announcement! And this revelation doesn't go unnoticed by the Ice Queen, who has been keeping an eye on the Southern Witch for a while—she also did something to the keep Zelena in the dark about Glinda being there!**

**It's been over a month, so, enjoy! Feel free to comment! :)**

**...**

****UPDATE: Moderate editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/25/2014.**

**…**

**Chapter Seven: A Willing Heart**

**…**

"**W**HAT?! No, no, no, no…" Emma cried out, emphatically shaking her head from side-to-side, causing some of her hair to spill out and over her shoulders. "You're crazy! It's not _me_, it's…I'm—_no_!"

"You have a natural affinity for pure magic and you have already proven yourself worthy of it by saving _this_ town on multiple occasions. Emma…_you_ are the perfect person to wield this crystal." As Glinda spoke, she did so confidently, and seemed to showcase it by proudly lifting up the hovering object in her hands, as if she was about to put it on display. She then moved it away from herself, creating a medium size gap between her wrists and her chest, like she was planning on handing it over to the unwilling Emma without further discussion, but if that was the case, Emma's following words stopped her in her tracks.

"I'm not that great at magic," she stated frankly, waving her hands out in front of her while trying to take another step back, which went against Mary Margaret's positioned hand on her shoulder—and since her mother's fingers were now clamped on tightly because of the unbelievable turn of events, Emma's movement looked very awkward. "I'm actually _really_ bad at it. I'm not somebody you'd want leading the Sacred Four."

As words started going back and forth between several people in the room, everybody and everything began to fade into the background as Mary Margaret tried to register what had just happened. She was just as stunned as her daughter was, but didn't know how to express herself, so instead of speaking off the top of her head, she decided to remain silent; to see how it would all play out.

Where the crystal was concerned, she didn't have a solid opinion, but if she looked at it from Glinda's point of view, she completely understood why her daughter would be the perfect choice. Emma has been an excellent savior but what worried her was whether or not SHE was aware of that fact. When she gets rid of all of her insecurities towards what she _thinks_ she has to do, as opposed to what being a savior truly means, Emma will be able to accomplish anything she wants to do; however, this was something that she would have to discover on her own, but whatever and _wherever_ her decision took her, Mary Margaret would do her best to support her—even if that resulted in her being taken away from them again.

When her thoughts began to dissipate, she let out a sigh. _I guess that I'll just have to wait and see_, she thought as she mentally rejoined the group; now paying attention to what was being said in the ongoing conversation. Surprisingly, it seemed like she didn't miss much.

"You're too modest," Glinda began, her voice gentle. "Though you weren't raised with the magical training necessary to enhance your gifts, your exploits were featured extensively in the Scroll. I was quite impressed by the conscious and subconscious control you seem to possess, both of which you have shown prodigious growth in since you started practicing with a mentor." She then gave Regina a respected look before turning back to Emma. "You should give yourself more credit."

Emma's gestures appeared to be slightly frantic as she did her best to persuade the strawberry blonde otherwise. "If I was _good_, I wouldn't have needed your help against that monkey! You had to step in to _save_ me, well, _us_…" The reference to Hook did little to lower her rising blood pressure and she could feel herself losing it. In an effort to calm down, she folded her arms, trying to hug her movements into a quiet submission, but the sudden action just made her look stiff, uncoordinated and unnatural. "I'm sorry, but you have the wrong person."

"I don't think that I do."

"Glinda…" Emma started as she shook her head again, looking at the other people in the room, desperate for somebody to speak out in her defense, but when nobody did, she turned back to address the Southern Witch. Running out of excuses, she began to stutter and repeat her previous arguments. "I-I don't really have c-control…"

"You wouldn't be able to use any of your abilities if you didn't have it to some degree, accidentally or intentionally. Being born with these types of gifts is often tied to one's emotions and/or instincts, and from what I have read…you are, once again, strong in _both_ areas."

Her mind spinning and reeling from Glinda's response, she could feel her mouth and throat begin to dry up. The weight of responsibility and stress began to pile higher on her shoulders and she couldn't help but shrink away from her mother's touch, which, remarkably, was _still_ on her shoulder. It seemed as if the universe, in its cruelty and free time, just LOVED to create these types of twists and turns in her life, so that her preferred concept of "normalcy" would always be out of her reach. _This is ridiculous_, she thought. _There is no way in hell that I'm the Northern Witch_.

Exhausted from defending herself, she physically turned to her parents and Regina in a confrontational manner, her voice wavering in annoyance and disbelief while her arms shot out to her sides in wild agitation. "Can somebody help me out here?!"

Surprisingly, and then not, it was Regina who responded to Emma's desperate plea. She cleared her throat and then looked at Glinda, whose hands were still propping up the crystal. "This may come out as a backhanded compliment but Ms. Swan is correct. She's gifted, yes, but not _that_ powerful to take on the role of being the Northern Witch. Furthermore," she continued, her head tilted slightly to her left. "Your last 'feeling' or unauthorized prediction didn't go over so well. How can you be sure that she is who you're looking for?"

"Gee, thanks," Emma said with one brow raised, half-insulted and half-relieved that somebody finally decided to show her some support.

"You asked for help and you got it," Regina replied, briefly shifting her eyes in Emma's direction.

"My prediction _was_ correct. It was my timing that was mistaken." Glinda remarked; her eyes strangely taking on a dulled color. Trying to shake off the effects of being drained, she cleared her throat. "This time will be different because while Zelena was already consumed with the darkness of revenge, affecting the purity and the good intentions her magic could've been, Emma has always been filled with pure light. And where my unauthorized prediction is concerned," she gave Regina a slanted look, "my feelings haven't failed me yet. Being away from my normal way of life has forced me to rely on instinctual methods and if that's the case, which I'm positive that it _is_, what better way to prove my reliability than having my second forecast go against my first?"

"She has a point, Emma." Mary Margaret finally said, after having David bring her the same chair she had sat in earlier so she could get off of her swollen feet. "Being a product of true love, you are—"

"That proves NOTHING!" Emma suddenly shouted, her breaking point now reached and starting to boil over. "I'm sure that there are _plenty_ of _other_ people out there that are _products_ OR…a-a _savior_!"

Mary Margaret's face fell from the outburst while Regina, Glinda and David remained silent. Emma closed her eyes to regain her composure. _I'm not the Northern Witch_, she thought, _and I'll fight that till hell freezes over_.

The room was filled with high levels of tension till David spoke, his demeanor calm and gentle.

"…You'll never know until you try, Em."

Emma shook her head at his response. What he was saying wasn't the problem, he was actually trying to be encouraging, it was just that she…she just didn't _want_ to. She was afraid that Glinda might actually be right and that this new discovery would give her another lifestyle she wasn't particularly fond of.

Trying to find a way out of it, she remembered what happened to Zelena during her ceremonial event. "But it's not even glowing right now! It's just…sitting there! Isn't that enough proof that it's not me?" she argued back, her voice a little pitchy.

"Every person's different," Glinda began, immediately shutting down Emma's plausible cause at rejection. "The Western Crystal lighting up immediately for Zelena shouldn't be compared to own your experience, should it happen, for every instance is diverse in its own way due to the participating individuals. Besides, this is the _Northern_ Crystal, a far more mysterious instrument than the other three combined which makes the outcome even more unpredictable."

With a proud nod, she then continued, ignoring the pitiful look developing on Emma's face. "In regards to the comment you made about there being 'plenty of other people' like you, I can tell you right now that there _aren't_, least not in today's age. You are the only one who carries both titles and before you feel the need to question me on that, I was very thorough in researching that aspect before coming here, hence some of my confidence..." She then paused in consideration before she resumed talking. "This particular design will even extend to that of your sibling, but it won't be as potent, since firstborn babes are generally stronger in that regard. An illustrative example can be that of Zelena and Regina…" Glinda then gave the latter a sideways glance, an apologetic wince on her face. "…No offense."

"None taken," Regina responded with a flat tone, her face passive in consideration.

As the loft once again fell into a strained silence, Glinda finally lowered her cradling hands, to a degree, the crystal still bobbing up and down in its own (constant) magical essences. Feeling her body shutting down, she sighed loudly in exasperation, which was a remarkable change from the ladylike disposition she had been presenting to the three people in the room. Slightly irked, Glinda then pointedly addressed Emma, her lethargy brightening the dullness of her eyes. "I don't mean to sound rude BUT it was written that you, the savior, would be able to help me and what better way than to be that one person that is needed the _most_—for _all_ the realms?"

Emma let out a ragged breath. She was contemplating everything she had heard and frankly, she just didn't see how any of it _really_ pointed to her. Sure, she was the savior and sure, she had some success in dealing with the villains that came through this town, but she didn't really do it by herself. In fact, she had help in _most_ of those situations! How could she possibly be the specific person Glinda was looking for? Let alone the Northern Witch: leader of the Sacred Four and the wielder of the most powerful crystal in existence?

Wasn't it enough that she was already in charge of "guarding" and "protecting" Storybrooke? …_No, obviously it wasn't_, she thought bitterly. _I'm destined to be here, in this life, forever…dammit._

"_Please_," Glinda said, bringing Emma back to the situation in the room. "Allow me to at least try and see if my feelings are true. It won't take up too much of your time. It won't be as long as me sharing Oz's history, I give you my word. It's a very simple process. I just need to see to the speech and make sure that there are one or several witnesses around before I bestow you the crystal."

"I'm guessing that we're going to be the witnesses?" Regina inquired, pinching the bridge of her nose impatiently before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yes, Regina," Emma whispered, looking at nobody in particular when her eyes drifted towards the floor, but before she could fully immerse herself in its texture, she suddenly snapped them back up when she remembered another thing from Glinda's story that stuck out—to her at least. "Who exactly witnessed Zelena's ceremony?"

Glinda hesitated, not quite expecting that particular question. "…No one. We didn't have enough time. That could, most likely, be a contributing factor in why everything, after that, fell apart...but who really knows for sure?"

Emma blinked back in surprise. She _lied_. Glinda had just _lied_ to her and from the looks of it, she wasn't so keen on sharing whatever it was she was keeping a secret…_Should I let it go for now_? She asked herself while analyzing the witch's face. _Or should I say something else about it?_

"Well, I don't think that this is a good idea," Regina interrupted, her eyes moving towards the stairs. "No one has checked in on Henry since this story was told, and I don't want to risk him coming down and witnessing magic…least not yet."

"I'll be quick." Glinda responded, tearing her eyes away from Emma's curious ones. It took only a few minutes of consideration before Regina relented and Emma likewise agreed; the latter with a firm nod.

Glinda then politely asked everybody, minus Emma, to stand in a way that positioned themselves behind the receiver, who reluctantly shuffled to where she was instructed to go. After the group had reorganized into a bended line, Regina and David at the ends while Mary Margaret sat in the middle, they all watched Glinda move to stand in front of Emma, where she prepared to make her formal speech.

Her eyes were closed when she uttered these words: "Since the traditional Ozian Ceremonial Event cannot be performed where the native citizens of munchkins, wizards and witches are in attendance, I call upon these three witnesses to take their place as the observers in this historical moment. Here in my hands, I hold the Northern Crystal, the forefront of all those created by Merlin in his wisdom and the selector of the one who shall lead the Sacred Four with their chosen Guardianship and Protection. Though this is a bit unorthodox and strays from the natural proceedings, I ensure that my intentions are solely in the interest of protecting pure magic and reestablishing what once was prominent."

Elongating her reach and position, so that she was no longer bent at the elbows and holding the object up, she extended her arms out to their full lengths, her palms together and her fingers straight. She then slowly lowered them, bringing the crystal down till it was level with Emma's high waist, before she carried on, her eyes now open. "I speak as the Southern Witch, as well as the Scroll Keeper, and on the Scroll's behalf; I present Emma Swan, the Savior of the Enchanted Forest, the Savior of Storybrooke and the Product of True Love. Her immense skill, heart, talent and intellect have demonstrated the qualifications needed for selecting a wielder, but I shall ultimately leave that decision to you…regard her as you see fit…"

She then met Emma's gaze, which were decorated with fear and low expectations, and offered her a smile. "Are you ready?"

Emma swallowed hard before she asked a question of her own, her voice shaking. "What do you want me to do?"

"Hold your hands out so you can take it from me."

"…So, if Emma is the Northern Witch, you mentioned that she would be able to help you find the others?" Mary Margaret inquired at the last moment, grabbing and squeezing the closest of David's available hands as she watched her daughter prepare to receive the crystal.

"Yes," Glinda replied, her eyes never leaving Emma's. "She would be able to help rebuild my homeland to its former glory while, at the same time, going down in history for being the first outsider, in a non-magical land, to capture the crystal's interest." Noting Emma's wavering expression at the last bit of information she shared, Glinda tried to refocus her attention. "But we'll talk about that later. Right now, we have to find out for sure if my feelings are correct. It's the moment of truth."

Emma exhaled as she raised her hands up, encircling the crystal on each side, while Glinda magically supported it from the bottom. "No turning back now." _It is time_, she thought, _this is it. Either it's a lifetime of more responsibilities OR it's a top priority situation that doesn't really concern my physical attention._

"Just breathe," Regina instructed. "You look like you're about to fall over from the pressure."

"You'll be fine, honey," David followed, giving Regina a nudging look. "Just relax."

Emma heard them but wished that she didn't since she was trying to block out every possible sound around her. She wanted to focus all of her attention, energy and thoughts on the task at hand, even though she didn't necessarily _want_ to be the Northern Witch. She just wanted to show them that she gave it her all, despite her excuses and complaints, so that she wouldn't feel…guilty, especially where Glinda was concerned since, regardless of the situation, she promised to help.

She could feel the nervousness and anticipation begin to bubble up from inside of her, her clammy hands getting worse the more she closed in on the crystal, but then, she started feeling the familiar humming sensation combing through her veins at a rapid speed. She had never felt this much power in one setting before and it was a bit unnerving, so much so that she momentarily pulled back. It was as if the crystal was calling to her magical essences…._Interesting_. Fear started to claw its way into her heart as she, once again, neared her target, but before she could, random images from her life unexpectedly started to collect and play themselves in her mind: the repetitive experiences of abandonment, foster care, her first love, stealing, going to jail, becoming pregnant, growing up in harsh environments, becoming a bail-bondswoman, Henry finding her, magic, disbelief, being the savior, the curses, going on adventures, losing her family for the second time, memory loss, a year free of the responsibilities she never wanted, her memories regained, Neal dying, and _Hook_—_his_ appearance then created a whole new pile of memories: their first meeting, the beanstalk, her betraying him, sword-fighting, his ship, Neverland, bonding, the kiss, an apparent love triangle, going back to Storybrooke together, fleeting glances, secrets, possible feelings, loss, New York, him coming for her, a new enemy, him being distant, _pain_—

Emma let out a sharp gasp. The emotional roller-coaster, she found herself riding, made her feel like she was spiraling out of control! The many involvements she had with Hook were—_NO, I'm not going there. He doesn't mean anything to me_!

"What's happening?" Mary Margaret questioned in alarm. She tried to stand up but David gently prevented her, thinking it better for her to stay where she was because of the designed arrangement.

"_Glinda_…" David began; a warning note clipping his voice.

"Nothing's wrong. She's experiencing what's filtering through her mind's eye. It's a known thing to occur when the crystal is evaluating a person." Glinda noted calmly as she observed the inner struggles Emma was going through. "Just relax," she continued. "What will be, _will_ be. It works best if you don't fight it."

Emma nodded her head minimally, taken aback by the conscious visions. That statement did absolutely NOTHING to calm her nerves, in fact, it HEIGHTENED them. "Okay…" _I have to stop psyching myself out. Just do it! Do it before something else shows up or happens_! So, without further ado, she quickly scooped up the crystal and waited for its reaction.

…Nothing. The crystal did nothing. It didn't even blink.

"Give it…just give it a few moments," Glinda stated, her eyes widening as her confidence suffered a debilitating blow.

She did as she was told but again, there was nothing. The crystal just sat there in her hands, magically hovering while she just stared at it, waiting for something to happen. When three minutes passed by and the results remained the same, Emma shot a glance over at Glinda, who looked like she was on the brink of falling apart.

She could relate. She knew that feeling well.

"Sooooo, this means…?"

Glinda looked down for a moment, her voice cracking with incredulity. "It means that the Northern Witch has yet to be found and the crystal will lie dormant till the time comes when it can be awakened…You were right…"

"I'm sorry," Emma apologized with half a smile. "I know how much you wanted it to be me but…" She trailed off, suddenly feeling really, really, really sad. Wait…why was she sad? She should be thrilled that she wasn't selected…so, why did she feel like she failed in some way?

"It's fine." Glinda acknowledged with a smile of her own, trying to mask how she was truly feeling. She just didn't understand. Where did she go wrong? Her prediction worked with Zelena and that feeling wasn't nearly as strong as the one she had about Emma. She was so sure that the crystal would glow. Maybe she had jeopardized everything by how she went about things...Were her actions selfish and greedy? Was _she_ the one at fault? ...If that was the case, she had failed before she even started.

"Well, that was totally lackluster," Regina commented, moving away from the Charming's by taking a side step to her right. "I guess even the Southern Witch can be fallible, despite her 'wisdom' and 'knowledge'."

"That's enough, Regina," Mary Margaret scolded, giving her a look that suggested her disapproval, but the response she got was a roll of the eyes and an impatient sigh.

Glinda, however, didn't really hear what was being said since she was too busy contemplating her next move. Maybe somebody else in Storybrooke could be the Northern Witch? That prospect was doubtful but if Emma wasn't the one, she had to find somebody as soon as possible. If she couldn't help her by wielding the crystal then maybe she was just meant to be the savior (her normal position) in this growing crisis?

"Umm…" Emma started, looking down at the crystal then back up at Glinda. "You should take this. Once again, I'm sorry that I'm not who you wanted me to be but if you still need…the savior…I can help you tomorrow. Right now, I think that it's better if I take Henry home." Emma couldn't help but to choke out the words. She was feeling terrible for some reason and she didn't know why. She didn't have to worry about any added responsibilities now, which was exactly what she wanted, so what was her problem?

"You did your best and I appreciate it. I guess I became a little overzealous in my feelings, so, I just want to apologize to you, to Regina, and to your family." She then humbly nodded in each of their direction. "Obviously, my instincts aren't as strong as I thought they were...I mean, I practically forced you into this situation…"

"Yeeeah, you kinda did," Emma said as Glinda carefully took the crystal from her. The Southern Witch then paused midway after she heard her words, a worried look creasing her brow, but when she saw the expression on Emma's face, Glinda knew that she was teasing her, at least to some degree. After bowing her head for a moment, the Good Witch then dematerialized the object, sending it back to the place she had been storing it in for safekeeping, her activity earning her an awe sound from Mary Margaret.

After the powerful display of magic, Emma then made her way to the staircase, her intentions clearly set on getting her son so they could go back to their rented room and get some sleep—or, in her case, "sleep". Her feet were soft against the floor as she traveled to his location, where she, miraculously, saw her son sleeping on the bed; his portable device in one hand while his ear buds lay about his neck. She smiled fleetingly before she went over to him, slightly reaching over the large mattress to rub at his shoulder, which she had to do repeatedly before he actually woke up.

With a childlike tone, he asked her a question. "Are we going now?"

"Mmhmm, get your stuff."

"I didn't bring much. I'm ready." He scrambled to his feet and wrapped his headphones around his phone, pocketing them in his jeans in seconds. He then picked up his jacket and walked around the bed, pulling the sleeves on as he went, his mom waiting patiently for him, but with an unreadable expression. As they headed to the stairs and began climbing down them, Henry out in front, she felt a noticeable weight on her shoulders—one that she knew well.

_Failure_…not towards Henry, but to what had just happened…She blew a strand of hair from her face and mentally shook herself, resting a hand on his shoulder, so she could guide him to the middle of the room.

She couldn't help it. It wasn't her fault that she wasn't the one. She'll just have to get over it so she can assist Glinda with whatever needs to be done tomorrow because that's the only thing she can really do now. _I'll just be the savior to her_, she thought.

"Who's this?"

Tugged out of her interfering thoughts by her son's voice, Emma noticed that he was talking about Glinda, who was still standing in the same spot. "This is Glin—" She then, unceremoniously, swallowed the rest. Realizing that "Glinda" wasn't a typical name to have nowadays, she had to think of something fast or else gave rise to his already suspicious nature. Unable to really come up with anything, Emma glanced over at the strawberry blonde and slightly shrugged her shoulders, indicating that she didn't know what to say.

"_Glen_?" Henry questioned, looking over his shoulder at his mother, who briefly met his eyes. "Her name is 'Glen', _really_?"

"Yes," Glinda cut in, speaking on Emma's behalf, vaguely recalling the details about their difficult situation from the Scroll. "My name is _Glen_. I was named after my mother. It's very old-fashioned."

Henry considered her for a moment, taking in her features and her body language, much like his mom would, before he went over to her and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you, _Glen_. Are you another one of my mom's mysterious _friends_ that I've heard nothing about till I came here?"

Glinda furrowed her brows while the other adults in the room shared a meaningful glance, ultimately leaving it to her to give a reply. Inwardly wincing, she tried to answer him as honestly as she could, trying not to make it sound like a question. "I guess so."

"Well, that's enough _out_ of you," Emma declared, marching up behind Henry and gently steering him towards the door, needing to take him home so they _both_ could escape the atmosphere of the loft. "It's time to go, so, say goodnight."

"Goodnight, Mary Margaret, David, Glen and Mayor…" he said in a flat tone while turning the knob and opening the door—obviously still upset about what had happened earlier with the glass, which he decided to leave alone altogether; figuring that they wouldn't tell him the truth anyway.

"'Night, Henry," they all responded back in unison, the loudest voice coming from Regina, who was trying to push her emotions down so she could appear somewhat unaffected by his indirect coldness.

As soon as they were in the hallway, Emma gave those in the room one last look before closing the door. It was a remorseful expression to no one in particular but it was powerful enough to make both Regina and Glinda react by looking away.

When it was just the four of them, Mary Margaret shifted her eyes from the door to Glinda, deciding to change the subject in the hopes of altering the mood. "Do you have someplace to stay tonight?"

"No, I didn't think that far."

"You are welcomed to stay here. You can sleep in the spare room we have upstairs."

"I don't want to be a nuisance…"

"It would be an honor to have you stay here with us," David said, helping his wife up so they could both show her where she'll be sleeping. "If you would just follow us, we'll show it to you."

"Thank you," she accepted, giving them another formal bow. "I do need to rest. My low supply of magic is starting to affect me." And she really did mean that since every part of her body felt vulnerable and sensitive to the touch.

"We'll just change the sheets and then she's all yours," Mary Margaret started, giving her a smile.

"You mean _I'll_ be changing the sheets," David said in a teasing tone.

"Pretty much..."

David shook his head and chucked when they both went up the stairs, intent on leading and showing Glinda to the room she would be staying in; for the time being.

So, with the hopes of recuperating, she followed them but covered only a few steps before pausing, noticing that Regina was about to leave without saying goodbye to anyone. Seeing that she was upset about Henry not remembering her—or assuming that that was the case—she called out to her. "Don't worry. He'll remember who you are soon. I'm sure of it."

Regina then turned to look at Glinda, a flicker of pain in her eyes before her face transformed into a protective sneer. "I'm not one to believe anything _you_ have to say anytime soon." She then raised both of her hands before her and waved them at the same time, one crossing in front of the other in a dramatic flair. Summoning her ability to transport, she had disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, in a matter of seconds, leaving a sympathetic Glinda in her wake, who after some time alone; headed up the stairs in order to see her temporary residence.

**…**

**A**s soon as they got to their apartment in Granny's Bed and Breakfast, Henry went to his room and shut the door where he fell back asleep almost instantly. Emma envied him. Her insomnia had fully kicked in and she wished that it didn't because she desperately wanted to put this day behind her with a good night's rest.

With a tired groan, she turned her eyes to the clock, where the numbers were blurry because of her overworked and distressed state of mind.

It was 9:25 pm…

"Dammit." Emma then went over to a nearby drawer, where she kept her clothes, and pulled out some sleepwear, silently hoping that putting them on would inspire a blissful night of slumber—the idea was totally laughable, but she thought it would be better to have some hope. She was in the midst of unzipping her jacket and taking her boots off when she heard a light tapping coming from the front door. Raising a brow, she dropped what she was doing and staggered over, not bothering to look through the peephole when she twisted the knob and pulled it open.

A gasp escaped from her mouth when she saw who was waiting for her on the other side.

"_What_ the—"

"Hello, Emma. It's nice to see you again. I must say, your current living arrangement is a little bit…tacky? Disappointing? Depressing? Take your pick."

Emma lifted her available hand and pointed it at her in a threatening matter, a tiny spark of whitish light collecting at the tips of her fingers. "_Get_ _out_ or I'll—"

"I am in need of something, dear," the person interrupted, deliberately cutting Emma off.

"I'm never going to help you after what you did to Neal."

"_That_ was an unfortunate accident, one I admit, helped me out a great deal, but I can't fully take the credit. It was a choice _he_ made all on his _own_."

"I seriously doubt that, _Zelena_…" Emma responded, the energy at her tips flaring up in her anger.

Zelena grinned wickedly at Emma's display of power. "Well, no matter, the past is in the past, eh? Anyway, I'm not here on _family_ business. I'm here to give you an ultimatum."

Emma's eyes widened. "What could you possibly want from me?"

Zelena leaned into the empty space the open door had created, laying her hands on the outer frame as her eyes bore into Emma's. "I'm tired of this little game I've been playing where Hook and your powers are concerned, I want more solid results. So, instead of your powers being _removed_, I've decided to take your _heart_ instead…"

Emma felt like she had been hit in the chest with a thousand knives. _Hook was working with Zelena to take my powers away_? …That would explain everything. Why he was different around her all of a sudden—the outburst he made earlier about her magic. It all made perfect sense…Her voice was weak with mixed emotions when she finally managed a reply, playing coy for more answers. "What do you mean…?"

"I thought that what I had said was quite understandable…ohhhhh, you're still on that bit that concerns the adorable, forlorn pirate…" Her smile grew. "Poor dear, I tricked him into revealing the one he loved before cursing his lips, in the hopes of him taking your powers away. It didn't work because he was determined to spare you…If it wasn't so pathetic, I could see it being somewhat romantic."

"H-he…what…?" Emma's words were coming out in jumbles. _So he didn't betray me? He was looking out for me?_

"Anyway, I have a new plan and it requires your heart." Zelena's eyes briefly fluttered down to Emma's chest in an emphasized gesture, but it seemed like her words did nothing to affect the blonde. She was (probably) still registering the new information she had just gotten about Hook, _so_ in a deadly tone, Zelena continued. "Either I get _your_ _heart_—and you've better have heard that word this time—or I'll _kill_ your son, right now. That's the other half to my ultimatum, you see. It's between your son's precious, innocent life OR the little thing you people like to refer to as your 'free will'. Make your choice, dear. Oh!" she exclaimed in a dramatic nature, feigning forgetfulness. "To add a little more _elixir_ to this witches brew, if you refuse…I'll not only kill him but _your family_ as well. I'll see to it that you lose all that you love in one fell swoop."

The power Emma was displaying immediately disappeared when a chill swept up her spine. She would gladly give over her heart if it meant sparing the people she loved, but there was just one problem…"I…can't! It can't be taken because I'm the product of true love."

Zelena moved closer, taking a couple of steps forward so that she was standing inside of the room, her hands now clasped in front of her. "Lucky for you, the option is still available. While it's true, nobody else can remove your heart, _you_ can do it. You could _literally_ give me your heart, how poetic. I guess that's one of those secret perks no one cared to share with you…I can _relate_."

"So, I can take out my own heart?"

Zelena nodded with an amusing glint in her eyes when she observed the conflict rising in Emma, who momentarily bent backwards in order to peek into the direction Henry, she assumed, was sleeping in. She knew that she was going to agree to her nefarious plan because she loved her family and, unlike her, she stood to lose everything if she didn't. That was one of the problems with being on the good side. You pull one important thread and everything falls into chaos.

When Emma looked in the area where Henry was sleeping, she was making sure that he wasn't awake to see what was going to happen. This was probably the easiest and hardest decision she'd ever have to choose between because she _knew_ that she was going to do it but she _didn't_ know what Zelena had in store for her as soon as she got her grubby little hands on it. She also knew that she was putting her life in danger but she'd rather it be like this, HER life, not her son's or the rest of her family's, so, mustering up her courage, she faced the Wicked Witch with unswerving eyes.

"I'll do it."

"Good." Zelena said in a sweet voice. "Just reach into your chest, over your heart, and gently pull it out."

Emma regrettably did as she was told. She lifted her right hand and positioned her fingers over the spot indicated, tension and nerves causing them to shake at what she was about to do. Once again, the thing that scared her was that she didn't _know_ what was going to happen. _I'll figure it out_, she thought. _I'll find a way to break the hold she has over me somehow. She'll only have my body, not my mind_…

Taking a deep, solid breath, she then deliberately plunged her hand into her chest.

A piercing gasping sound burst past her lips when a sharp engulfing feeling began to spread throughout the top half of her body, but when her fingers grasped around her heart, a profound sensation swept through her bones and veins; encompassing her entire spirit in that one little act. Exhaling deeply, she then swiftly pulled it out..._but_ in that small timeframe of it being outside the safety of her body, she felt...weird. An incomplete feeling in the form of a haze began to wash over her when she held the most important part of her _in_ the palm of one hand.

"Now," Zelena interjected, breaking through the fog Emma found herself slipping into. "Hand it to _me_."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Emma extended the hand that was holding it into the witch's direction, the movement oddly mechanical as the residual degree of control she had left started to dwindle into nothing the farther away it left its rightful place. Zelena smiled widely at the action and lifted her hands up, her fingers twitching in delight when she accepted the organ, immediately feeling the weight of it as soon as she cradled it in one of her palms.

_It's perfectly red. There's not a dark spot or mark anywhere on it,_Zelena thought, marveling at her now priceless possession.

She glanced up at Emma, her eyes searching hers, and saw what she wanted to see: NOTHING. Unbeknownst to Emma, the moment she had handed over her heart was the _same_ moment she had lost her free will or better yet, _her_ mind. This woman was completely under her control—as planned—and Zelena could do whatever she wanted with her. And _boy_, did she have some assignments for her to do in the coming days.

Emma Swan was going to be her helpful, little puppet and it was all thanks to the Ice Queen's suggestion. _She may have a heart of ice but she was a clever little monkey when it came to developing plans_.

With a proud tilt of her head, she addressed her new pupil. "We have some work to do before we can get the last ingredient so there's no time to waste."

Emma mindlessly stared in the witch's direction, completely helpless when Zelena raised her hands and used a fancy flourish to transport them both to her small home in the outskirts of the woods, leaving behind an unsuspecting and sleeping Henry in the now unprotected apartment.

**…**

**Poor Emma… :(**

**But I hope that you liked it! It is a little long…**

**Stay tuned!**


	8. Lost

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: At Glinda's insistence, as well as some encouragement from her family, Emma tried to awaken the Northern Crystal but failed, which made her feel sad and guilty. When she took Henry home, she was then visited by Zelena, who unpredictably enough (for Emma), took her heart.**

**Enjoy!**

**...**

******UPDATE: Major editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/26/2014.****

**…**

**Chapter Eight: Lost **

**…**

**The Rabbit Hole—At Midnight (Early The Next Day):**

"**W**ould that be all, Hook?"

"Bloody _hell_, you _know_ that it's not."

"But you've already had—" the barmaid started, giving the pirate a tentative look after she surveyed the littered remains surrounding him. There was an endless supply of empty bottles and mugs on the table, on the floor and on the seat across from him; not to mention, the half-filled cup he was currently nursing in his restless fingers. "—plenty to drink as it is. I've already instructed your previous waiter to not give you anymore. So, it's time for you to leave. We'll be closing in less than two hours and you've given us one hell of a mess to clean up, plus…your attitude is _stinking_ up the place."

Hook raised an eyebrow at her sauciness and tried to lean forward, to intimidate her, but it looked more awkward than anything else—being tipsy can do that to a person. He let go of the handle so he could point a finger at her, his eyes narrowing as he struggled to get his words out. "Give…me…some…more...right..._now_."

The woman rolled her eyes. "Or what? What are you going to do if I don't?"

"You know," Hook said, a fierce expression taking shape on his face. "There was a time when people actually did what their job entailed them to do; it would be a _shame_ if you weren't able to perform yours anymore."

"Are you _threatening_ me?"

"Of course I'm THREATENING you. Now, go do what I asked of you, since you sent my other server away…and stop being so damn maddening before something rather unfortunate happens to _YOU_."

He saw the woman's face fall before she turned around and headed back to the bar, mumbling under her breath as she did so; her intentions unknown. Hook watched her leave, not knowing if she was actually going to do what he asked of her or if she was going to fetch some sort of weapon, but whatever her plans were, it didn't stop him from turning his attention back to the drink in front of him. The amber liquid swished around the glass as he swirled and tipped the mug, his thoughts plaguing him once again.

His head throbbed when his piercing headache started to spread to his eyes, forcing him to temporarily abandon his vice in order to hold his skull, his index finger applying pressure to the only temple he could really reach. As the barmaid had already indicated, he did have A LOT to drink, but that's the only way he really knew how to deal with an irritation or a painful experience—it was _that_ or gathering his crew to pillage a nearby village, but that wasn't an option he exactly had at the moment. Closing his eyes, he tried to block out the light in the room but as he attempted to escape his surroundings, he found himself thinking about his reason for being there in the first place…

Emma Swan.

_EMMA_-bloody-beautiful-perfect-lovely-complicated-_SWAN_…No matter how she felt about him, she was his new reason for existing..If only he could tell her _that_ without her running away from him. As her image started to take ownership of his mind, he groaned. She was his new personal method of torture and if he ever wanted to feel bad about himself or to keep his ego in check, all he had to do was think about the unrequited love he had for her.

"Looks like you had too much to drink…" a male voice interrupted, making Hook lift up his head to see who was talking to him. _Oh God, don't let it be the Prince,_ he thought beforehand.

Recognizing the person that stood in front of him, he responded, trying to lighten his dark mood. "Not nearly enough, I would say. If I had it my way, the barmaid would serve me her entire storage…" With a crooked smile, he then added: "Care to join me or do you have something better to do? You look like you've had a fascinating day…"

The man turned to look at the seat across from Hook before meeting his gaze. He seemed to be very concerned but chose not to address it, least not yet. "I was on a mission. I was tasked with bringing in one of those monkeys to see if a cure could be found but," he sighed. "I failed." Hook gave him a sympathetic expression or at least tried to, his face took on more of a scrunched up appearance than one would normally see from him. Clearing his throat at the image, the man kept talking. "Looks like you've enough company as it is. I just hope those cups aren't made of glass for your sake…"

"I'm guessing that they're of the durable variety, plus, the service _here_ is atrocious so it serves them right..." As soon as Hook let those words out, his new barmaid came into view, moving around the stranger in order to approach the table. In her hands, she was nonchalantly carrying his two requested mugs of beer, but as soon as he saw her, Hook's mood darkened once again, a disagreeable pout covering the lower half of his face. "Ahh, here's the she-devil now."

"Your drinks, _sir_," she grounded out, purposely stressing that last syllable when she simultaneously plopped the cups down right in front of him before turning to address the newcomer with a shake of her head. "Please, don't tell me that you're throwing your lot in with _this_ guy, Robin?"

"Let me worry about that," he answered with a charming smile, unintentionally eliciting a disgusted, grunting sound from Hook, who had been shoved into the background of their amiable conversation.

"Okay, well, I would clean the seat off, so you would be able to sit down, but _he_ won't let me. It would be 'interfering with his atmosphere'…"

Robin shot the man a quizzical look, but it went unnoticed because Hook was obscured by the large glass he was lifting; he appeared as if he was trying to consume the remaining contents of his drink, in one chug, since he didn't lower it when a stream of liquid began to pour out from the top sides of the opening and onto his leather clothes. When he was done, he instantly grabbed one of the two full mugs that had just arrived and immediately started to down the alcohol in there, as if his life depended on him finishing as much beer as possible. Shaking his head absentmindedly, Robin shifted his gaze back over to the restless woman. "I guess that I'll just have to make due."

She silently nodded, then gave Hook a final look before she headed back, her movements swift and gritty. Still shaking his head, Robin looked around for an available chair, having a feeling that he should find out what's going on with their town's favorite pirate. He eventually saw one over by the adjacent corner and retrieved it, setting it down near the edge of the booth, on Hook's left.

As Robin made himself comfortable, Hook lowered his mug in interest, resting the tip of the opening against his bottom lip before narrowing his eyes. "You're not planning on lecturing me are you, mate?"

"No, but from the looks of things, it seems that _you_ may have an interesting story to tell annnnnd…" he trailed off; angling around to look at the clock that was positioned on a faraway wall, his eyes squinting. "…unfortunately, I have nowhere else to be at the moment."

Hook chuckled when he bent his head back so he could swallow the beer with more ease. Banging the bottom of the now empty mug back onto the table, he wiped the spittle that was running down his chin and neck; his attention focused on something in front of him. "I'm assuming that the Evil Queen wasn't available for a rendezvous then, eh?"

"_Regina_," Robin emphasized deliberately, "is apparently busy since she wasn't at her house. NOT that our affairs are any of your business."

"_Oh_," Hook said dramatically. "And here I was thinking that we were _bonding_…but you have to admit, women sure have a flair for being complicated."

Getting somewhere, Robin pressed him. "Why? Because Regina wasn't at her home and had other things to do?"

Immediately getting the feeling that he was up to something, Hook gave him a sideways glance with an eyebrow raised. "I'm not in the mood to share."

"I guess that our 'bonding' is pretty much dead in the water then," he responded quickly, which earned him another small chuckle from Hook. "So, you're just going to sit here till closing time and brood away?" There was an amused expression on his face as his eyes roamed over the useless mugs around them but Hook; however, didn't respond. He just reached for the only full glass that was available with a harsh and jerky movement, something clearly bothering him.

Planning on getting himself a drink from the bar, Robin excused himself and lightly treaded over there, making Hook sigh in heavy relief when he was gone. His fingers started to stroke the mug's handle when he thought about what has been troubling him. If only he had the courage to face _her_ and tell _her_ what was going on with him, but one of the reasons why it was so difficult for him to share was because of Zelena. That woman was unstable, which made her both unpredictable and dangerous to everybody and should she, based off of anything that he had said or did, do anything to Emma, he would never be able to forgive himself. That's why, until things are resolved in some way or till the witch was killed, Hook made the decision to keep things to himself as well as to stay away from her and her family—in agreement to Emma's demands.

As his headache grew and his fingers began to tremble, he once again rubbed at a temple; knowing that he was well on his way to becoming very, VERY drunk if he kept on, but that was his plan, wasn't it? To forget about everything that had happened to him this night? If only this was the stuff he was accustomed to…_This realm definitely needs to work on the strength of their brewery_, he thought with a weak smile.

"I took the liberty of bringing you another round," Robin interrupted, carrying a total of four cups, two in each hand, as he made his way back over to their location. He had a whimsical glint in his eyes when he carefully lowered them onto the table, his fingers nimble when he disentangled them. He then turned his chair around, so that he could sit on it backwards, an added bonus, on his part, to get more comfortable. "I did so to spare your harassed barmaid."

"I was not _harassing_ her…I was trying to enforce the serving qualities a wench should have when attending a guest."

"That's a little harsh, don't you think?" Robin asked bluntly.

"I'm not one for tact or manners in these situations…"

"When you're drunk?"

"I'm not there yet, but give me about an hour or so and I will be, _hopefully_."

"Wow, all these mugs around you, which I assume were full at one point, and you're _not_ already?" Robin questioned with wide eyes. "You must have a considerable resistance towards alcohol."

Hook couldn't hide or contain the grin that covered his face at the man's words. "You have no idea, mate."

"I guess that comes with the territory when you live and travel on the high seas…"

"Not always," Hook answered after taking a giant swig, remembering his past life as a lieutenant where he was very much the straight-laced individual and thought that drinking on the job was intolerable or, simply put, a show of "_bad_ _form_", but since he wasn't interested in talking about his old ways either, he changed the subject. "Being the legendary thief that people say you are, you must've had some way of coping after all of your exploits…"

"Of course, but I considered drinking only for the highest of occasions. My men were the ones who indulged after our adventures, on a daily basis, whereas I," he paused, lifting his drink to give Hook a salute, "merely watched."

Hook observed him as he drank, his suspicions heightening. "Are you _really_ trying to bond with me in the hopes that I would share whatever you think is ailing me? If you _are_, I was merely jesting with you earlier..."

"Of course not," Robin responded plainly, gently laying his cup back onto the table in front of him. "I'm just passing the time away."

"Good, because no matter _how_ much I drink…that tactic isn't going to happen," Hook stated frankly, finishing another glass before tossing it over to the seat across from him—his accuracy (slightly) suffering at the hands of his developing inebriation since it tumbled off diagonally instead of landing straight ahead of him, as planned. "I don't know you well enough to spill my guts and even if I did, I would still hesitate. A man shouldn't easily entrust all of his secrets or perceptions to just anyone, mate."

"If you say so…"

It took only _half_ an hour before Hook was completely wasted, intoxication oozing out of every pore as he began telling Robin about his troubles, which was causing the latter to wish that he didn't stick his nose into this particular situation. Though Hook's words came out somewhat slurred, he surprisingly understood the general message of what he was saying. Basically, he was here because of a woman and if he had to guess as to _who_ the "_she_" was, Robin would say that she was none other than: Emma Swan—once again, his speech was compromised—but most of the people here in Storybrooke would be inclined to agree with him; IF they were in his shoes.

Having seen, on several occasions, the way in which Hook always looked at her, he gathered that his guess was correct but, apparently, they had some sort of a disagreement, which had led to a falling out between them. _That_ definitely explained some of his excessive drinking but Robin had a feeling that there was more to his story; something that he was reluctant to talk about.

"Soooooo you ssssssssee," Hook continued, his head lying precariously on one of his arms, which were both sprawled out before him on the table. "She isssss [hiccup]…we're a [hiccup]…it is very complicateeed…"

"I can tell…" Robin mused while lifting his drink to take a sip, a curious look on his face.

"It wouldn't be sssso damned [hiccup] complicateeed if I wasn't [hiccup] bloody cursssssed…"

Robin's brow shot up in surprise and he almost spit out the liquid, he was about to swallow, onto the crowded surface of the table. Leaning his head in, he questioned him. "Excuse me?"

"…[hiccup] Huuuuuh?" Hook asked, popping his head up from its lying position, in a bobbling fashion, so he could look at him. He immediately regretted what he did when an all-consuming dizziness engulfed his head, making his ears drum and his skin prickle.

"You just said that you were cursed…"

"…Nooooooo, I didn't," Hook said, raising a finger and shaking it in Robin's direction; his hiccuping subsiding because of the distraction his dizzy spell was creating. He then boldly reached out for Robin's drink, trying to take it for his own so he could quench his dry throat, but he ended up being slapped away by a quick and reflexive flick. Pouting a bit, Hook then dropped his head back down onto his right arm where he then began carving marks into the table with the use of his metal attachment, his eyes fixed intently on what he was doing.

Robin repeated the question but didn't get much of an answer since Hook was on the verge of...falling asleep. _Looks like those beers are kicking in now_, he thought when he observed the pirate, who, at that precise moment, accidentally knocked himself out by dropping and hitting his head onto the surface of the table with a loud thud. Taking it upon himself, since he did do a small amount of contributing, Robin coolly got up from his seat, which he then discarded off to one side, so that there wouldn't be anything obstructing his way when he helped Hook out of the bar.

After leaving momentarily to pay his tab, Robin came back and pulled him out of the booth by, with his right arm, placing the man's left arm over his shoulder and neck, for leverage, before lifting him up and out of his seat. Grunting under the added weight, Robin headed to the door, kicking some of the discarded mugs from his path as he did so, but as he started to make his way over there, Hook regained consciousness and started to resist him.

Gesturing wildly with his good hand, he ranted unintelligibly. "Get the bloody hell off of me! Just…just leave me here, I belong in _that_ booth…It's the only thing that I have now! I'm—I'm a man who's hellishly _cursed_ and in love with my tormentor, who confuses me to no _damned_ end. She may not even be my true love because of that ineffective kiss in that New Yorkish place or whatever, so, I may be doing all of THIS for no reason, but do my affections _stop_? NO, they just continue to grow, the bloody _bastards_…"

Hook tried to dig his feet into the ground in order to thwart the efforts Robin was making but his drunkenness had weakened every limb in his body—he even tried to scratch him in the shoulder with his hook but got the same results. So, when they finally made it to the door, Robin gracefully kicked it open and held it with his left shoulder till they both were _out_ of the establishment and _into_ the fresh, crisp air that managed to distract the mumbling Hook by blowing a gust of wind into his face; making him blink incessantly.

"Where are you staying?" Robin asked; his voice noticeably strained as they both walked away from the bar and down the main street, _slowly_.

"What's it matteerrrr?" Hook responded, unintentionally elongating the last word as he tried, once again, to get away only to fail by tripping on his own leg. "Just leave me!"

"I can't do that. It's, as you would say, 'bad form'. So, I'll just take you to Granny's Bed and Breakfast…"

"Ohhhhhh, NO! Not there, _anywhere_, but that place. S_he's_ staying there! I mean, have you _not_ been listening to _me_?!" he then paused to burp loudly, which caused Robin to turn his head away in disgust when the intense smell of alcohol began to fill his nostrils. Swallowing back his nausea, Hook continued on, his intemperance seemingly getting worse.

"Did I tell you that _she_ banned me? She banned _me_?! Now, I'm all alone…Just, just drop me here," he said, pointing a finger to the ground. "I'll sleep in the street—"

"HOOK, get ahold of YOURSELF. You sound downright pitiful AND not to mention, melodramatic about the entire situation. I'm sure that she didn't really mean it…"

But Robin's voice couldn't compare to Hook's incoherent rambling, which wholly drowned his words out. "—I'm just destined to be alone for the rest of my days because I'm a bloody coward…oh _no_…I'm a _coward_. That's my worse fear…always despised that notion…can't say anything about that bloody _Rumplestiltskin_ anymore…and it's all because of that damned witch, if she was here right now, I'd—I'd," he looked down at his free hand, suddenly, before thrusting it out in front of him. His arm wobbling and malleable when, in his drunken thoughts, he imagined that he was still holding one of his mugs. "Throw _this_ at her! Good form indeed! That's the least I could do for what she has done to me…"

Robin, who was now FULLY carrying the majority of the pirate's weight, stopped in the middle of the open street to look at him, first in puzzlement and then in realization. "So, it was _Zelena_ who cursed you?"

Furrowing his brow, Hook gave him a confused expression before looking back down at his free hand, his eyes widening. "…Where the blooooddyyyy hell is my drink?!"

"…Never mind," Robin stated after a moment, rolling his eyes. "We'll be there soon."

Hanging his head, Hook then asked, "Where are you taking me, mate?"

Robin didn't even respond. He just readjusted his hold on the faltering man by repositioning his grip on Hook's back, hoping that if he remained silent, he would find some way to entertain himself—which he did by tilting his head back to look up at the sky; pointing with his invisible mug at the different constellations he was able to see. He looked so…pathetically forlorn, but love will do that do you. _I would know_, he thought with a smile when his mind wandered over to the new woman in his life: Regina Mills, the mayor of this interesting town. He wished that he could've been with _her_ tonight but, like he said earlier, when he went to her house after his excursion, she wasn't there. Knowing that she must've had something important to do, he decided to stay with his men and son, in another part of the woods, till he felt the clawing need to be alone…and look how well _that_ turned out…

When they finally made it to the Bed and Breakfast, Robin dealt with the reservations, booking a room for himself as well since it was too late to head back—what with the flying monkeys and all. Hook stood off to the side while the process was being handled, trying to maintain his balance by leaning against a wall. When everything was handled, Robin escorted Hook to his room first—both of their quarters were located on the lower level—so he could honestly say that he took care of him till the very end. Upon entry, Hook, miraculously, stumbled over to his bed and wordlessly collapsed against the mattress, instantly falling asleep; his snores soon filling up the room. Not knowing if he should remove the hook, which came lose during one of his ravings, he hesitated before ultimately deciding to do it. He also removed the cutlass and pistol he wore about his belt—it would've been pointless if he had protected him thus far only for him to end up killing himself in his sleep.

Placing his hook, weapons and his key onto the large night table beside him, Robin gave him one last look before he closed the door and headed over to his own room, which happened to be right across from Hook's. Settling in for the night, he undressed by removing his shoes, jacket and shirt, his movements automatic in the familiar throws of exhaustion. It took him only a couple of minutes before he fell asleep, his thoughts wandering between the pressures that came with his new responsibilities, his son and his blossoming love for the new woman in his life.

**…**

**G**ranny's Diner was very busy when the Charming's arrived around 10 am. The news of the Good Fairy's arrival had mysteriously managed to spread about Storybrooke and as soon as David thoughtfully opened the door for himself and his hungry wife; everybody dropped whatever conversation they were having so they could address and question the royal couple about it.

"Is it true?" Tinkerbelle asked, standing up from her seat at the counter; her eyes beaming her hopes when she looked between Mary Margaret and David, who were, basically, _still_ surprised by the sudden attention.

"Is _what_ true?" Mary Margaret asked, habitually rubbing her stomach, her mind wandering over to the doctor's appointment they had yesterday—thinking that Dr. Whale might've told somebody about the baby's gender without their permission.

"The Good Fairy of the South being in Storybrooke…is she really here?" Mother Superior answered, eagerly finishing Tinkerbelle's exclamation before she could. She too had been sitting at the counter, next to her fellow fairy in fact, before she also stood up.

"Umm, yes," David furrowed his brows. "But how would you all know that? She's been here for less than a day…"

"News travels fast round here," Leroy responded, taking a generous sip from the coffee Ruby had just handed to him. "And this time, it didn't come from me."

"I'll say…" Granny muttered when she resumed her cooking and preparations, trying to keep herself on top of the orders that were flooding in from by the large crowd.

"Especially if it's about _her_," Belle commented from her spot in a faraway booth, her hands wrapped around the huge book she was researching.

"Then who—" David began but then stopped just as quickly, the answer instantly coming to him. There were only two other people who knew that she was here in Storybrooke, Henry didn't count because of his special circumstances, and Emma would've waited till an appropriate time, so out of them, there was really only _one_ person who would've said something. "…Regina."

"Yeah," Red said, leaning against the counter. "Regina was in here earlier, talking to Tink, who wasn't able to contain herself and before you knew it, people were coming and going with the news. Apparently, this 'Good Witch' is famous in certain parts."

"I still don't know who she is," Leroy cut in, gruffly. "She must've disappeared sometime during the reign of the Wicked Witch, but it sure does sound like she's a good contestant to go up against Zelena."

"She's really powerful," Mother Superior remarked with a twinkle in her eyes, exchanging a glance with Tinkerbelle, who nodded her head in agreement. "She could be our best chance against her…along with Emma and possibly Regina, of course."

"Does anybody know _where_ Regina is now?" Mary Margaret asked, looking about the diner, making eye contact with some people.

"She left a while ago," Ruby responded promptly, multitasking between chatting and her serving duties. "She was complaining about a headache..." She then turned to look at the pair, pausing in her movements so she would be able to talk directly to them, her tone serious. "...She didn't look so well, you guys."

"My ears are burning," a female voice called out to them from the entrance. The Charming's turned around and happened to see the person that they were just talking about. Regina stood in the establishment's doorway, casually dressed in some low heeled shoes, but it was the expression she wore that spoke volumes, especially to Mary Margaret. She looked terrible, definitely more tired than the last time they had seen her, and she suspected that that was one of the consequences that came along with Zelena "playing" with her heart.

"Did you tell them that Glinda was here?"

"Was I not supposed to?" Regina questioned back flatly. "Was it supposed to be some sort of _big_ secret? And…I didn't tell the _whole_ town, you can thank Tinkerbelle for that…" She gave the fairy she had just mentioned a look before shifting her gaze back to the couple.

"I'm not sure, but maybe Glinda didn't want the _whole_ town to know just yet, despite looking for...you know," Mary Margaret reasoned back at her quietly.

After a brief pause, Regina sighed and closed her eyes, signaling to them that she wasn't in the mood to argue—an abnormal characteristic for her. "Whatever. Where is the _witch_ anyway?"

"She's still at our apartment, sleeping. Creating and traveling through those two portals must've been really exhausting for her," Mary Margaret observed, moving over to a nearby booth to sit down and as soon as she did that, the atmosphere in the room seemed to change. Figuring that there wasn't any more to say or share about the Southern Witch's visit to Storybrooke, everybody else went back to what they were doing beforehand, some readily discussing about her _or_ about different things entirely; but either way, it gave Mary Margaret, David and Regina a chance to talk to each other, privately.

Mary Margaret then continued, brushing some of her hair back. "We didn't want to leave her there alone but David wanted to accompany me on my journey to find something to eat, being the protective man that he is…" she gave her husband a smile, which he returned.

"I'm _sure_," Regina acknowledged unreadably, following Mary Margaret's lead to the table where she sat across from her. Not wanting to stand by himself, David also moved over to where his wife was and stood right beside her where, he too, noticed the deteriorating state of Regina's health.

"I've been…better." She stated, noticing their concerned looks. "And before you ask, no. I hardly slept last night…God," she then complained, putting her head into her hands. "I can't wait till I kill her…that damn green _bitch_."

"You'll be okay, Regina. We'll get her in no time, especially now that we have more people to help us." Mary Margaret consoled, her eyes filling up with positivity.

"Mmm," she muttered, rubbing her forehand and putting both of her hands helplessly onto the table. "The thing is, I'm not about to put my _faith_ in _her_ just yet. She's going to have to prove herself worthy to _me_ before that's even a possibility."

The door then swung open, revealing both a sullen Hook and a well-rested Robin. The men looked at each other briefly before parting ways, Hook heading over to the counter while Robin, who saw Regina upon his entry, happily headed over to the booth where she was sitting.

"Good morning, mayor," he said politely, a smile tugging at his lips. He then walked to her side and leaned against the tall stall of her booth, crossing his arms over his chest when he did so. A telling flush tinted Regina's cheeks when she quietly acknowledged his greeting, instantly brightening up his (already cheerful) mood. He could tell that she wanted to talk to him because of how jittery she was in his presence but it would have to be done in private. It's not that they were _hiding_ their relationship; it was just that she wasn't ready for people to _know_ just yet, and he wanted her to be comfortable, so, he agreed to her terms—as long as it didn't take too long.

Hook accepted the cup of coffee Ruby handed him and took a sip, enjoying the hot, healing touch the liquid had when it slid down his throat and into his belly. He was about to take another when he heard Ruby talking to him.

"Did you have a rough night?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Because you look like you got beaten with the ugly hangover stick."

Hook's eyes widened in amusement, her blunt and comical approach not lost on him. "I look that bad, lass?"

She paused for a moment to consider his appearance. His hair and clothes were ruffled beyond fixing while his eyes were red and dilated, all of which, were completely emphasized by his charming and dazzling smile…"You're still pretty gorgeous if that's what you want to hear," she replied with a wink before turning around and grabbing an already dressed burger and a container of fries from the back counter. She then placed it gently on the table in front of him, inviting him to sit down. "If you didn't have that rugged quality before, then _boy_…you sure do have it now. _Here_, you need to get some food in you."

"What is it?"

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, her mouth dropping open a bit before she told him what it was.

"…Was this somebody else's order?"

"No, I've actually been saving it for you. A friend of mine catered to this rude, drunken pirate last night and I had a feeling that _he_ would come by…I made it a while ago, so it's fresh. _Eat _up."

"I'm touched and yet concerned. I said some pretty offensive things to her…to them _all_, actually."

"No worries, they're used to it," Red said with a knowing nod. "She just wants me to tell you that if you mess up anything else in there again, she'll personally poison your drink."

"I understand."

"She also wants you to know that you're gonna have to cough up some serious cash in order to keep your tab open, apparently, your bill is rather high." Ruby then leaned in with a sly expression. "I would just flirt with her, if I were you, the next time you see her. She's a sucker for sweet-talkers."

"Duly noted," he responded with a smile, picking a few fries up to stuff them, hungrily, into his mouth, instantly liking the taste of the food. When he was left alone to eat, he gambled a look over at the booth where Robin, Regina, Mary Margaret and David were all talking and was suddenly overwhelmed. _Somehow_, he was able to recall the majority of what had happened last night and knowing how he must've sounded in his drunken state, he felt that he owed Robin a huge apology, as well as his thanks, but he'll do that later—the walk over to the Diner was embarrassing enough. _Plus_, he wasn't in the mood to go over there and join them because with his luck, Emma would come in and see them all together. That alone would definitely open up a miserable can of worms.

For the first time since he's known her, he was glad that they weren't in the same area.

Turning his head to focus back onto his food, unaware that he had been staring blankly in their direction for a few minutes, he prayed that he would be able to get through his meal in peace, but in the midst of these thoughts, he didn't see or hear Mary Margaret, stealthily, approach him from behind. At one point, during his apparent reverie, she had noticed that he was looking at them and instantly got the feeling that something was going on. Knowing that it had something to do with what had happened yesterday, when they had walked in on him and Emma alone at the loft, she excused herself from the booth in order to gently confront him—it might just be her motherly instincts at work again, but she doubted that. Standing off to his right side, she called out to him. "Hook…"

His head snapped up before he looked at her, hesitantly. "Mary Margaret? How can I be of some assistance?" Slightly turning away from her to pick up his coffee, he brought it to his lips for a drink, getting the feeling that he needed to be awake and sober for this particular conversation.

Not wasting anytime, she dove in. "Is there something going on between you and Emma?"

Nearly spitting out the contents of his mouth, he slammed his cup down—almost breaking it in the process—and let out a clearing cough. Wiping his mouth with his hand, he looked over at her with shocked eyes. "WHAT?"

"I noticed the way you both were behaving yesterday and just now, you looked at our table with…" she paused, considering her words carefully. She didn't want to upset him any further; she actually wanted to understand him better. Lately, his behavior had been strange and she didn't want her daughter getting hurt should he decide to pursue his _blatant_ feelings for her—if she accepted that is. "…a sad expression. Are you okay?"

Clearing his throat, he slowly responded. "I appreciate your efforts to try to _understand_ me but it's not necessary…and as for Emma—"

Just when he was going to explain their situation in a few words, Henry burst through the doors of the diner and exclaimed with wide eyes. "Has anybody seen my mom?! She's gone!"

Everybody turned to look at him, an ominous silence filling the place. Hook pushed himself off of his stool and made his way over to the hysterical boy, who decided to meet the man halfway by rushing forward. Regina, David, Mary Margaret, Robin, Belle, Leroy, Red, Granny and others also responded, crowding themselves around Henry, who honestly didn't seem to mind them doing so.

"What do you mean?!" Mary Margaret exclaimed; her eyes wide with fear.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean she's gone?" Hook asked, barely remembering to hide his appendage behind his back, from Henry, in his panicked state. Placing his available hand on one of the lad's shoulders, he leveled with him; bending himself to a kneeling position so he could see him better.

"I woke up and she was gone! The door was open and her pajamas were on her bed! I tried to call her but her phone was also in the apartment…" He then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out Emma's cell, accounting for what he had just said.

"David, what if…" Mary Margaret purposefully trailed off, locking eyes with her husband's, each of them coming to the same conclusion: did the monkeys take her back to Zelena? Or was it something else? ...Something _worse_...?

"No, _that_ didn't happen," David said, trying to calm her and himself down. He then roamed over the group of people that were surrounding them, each wearing either a worried, concerned or an anxious expression. "We're going to go find her."

"But the mon—" Leroy started before he remembered that Henry was in the room. "It could be _dangerous_ out there…"

"That is my—" David began but changed his original thought of "_daughter_" to: "—_friend_ we're talking about!"

"I know but—"

"We have to save her! She would do the same for anyone of us!" Tinkerbelle chimed in.

"Yes, she would!" Granny exclaimed; who was already holding a rifle in her hands.

"Okay, so this is what we're going to do," David began, settling them down with a wide gesture of his hands. "We're going to split up and look for her." He then gave those willing a place to search, putting them into groups of two for protection, and as soon as everything was set, they headed out—Mary Margaret, Belle, Henry, Granny, Red and a couple of dwarves were to stay behind and wait for them, in the diner, till everybody came back. When the room began to clear out, Regina and Robin being the last pair to leave, Mary Margaret came up from behind David and grabbed his arm, her eyes holding back tears.

"David…" she started, her face etched with unbearable anguish. "Promise me that you'll find her…" The thought of their daughter being in any possible danger wasn't something that she could easily handle. _I already lost her once; I'm not going to lose her again_…

"I'll _find_ her," David responded immediately, lowering his head down to hers so he could give her a kiss. He then turned around and headed for the door where Hook was already waiting for him, his expression similar to Mary Margaret's. David gave him a sideways glance as soon as they exited the building. "We're going to the woods, so I need to go to the loft for my sword. Are you good to go?"

"Always," he remarked, fervently, indicating to the concealed pistol and cutlass he had on his belt with a nod. His thoughts about Zelena being unpredictable and dangerous began to float back to him—if Emma was taken because of anything he did, "he would never forgive himself". Was he right? Was she missing because of him? Hook swallowed hard as he followed David back to the loft.

"Do you think that the newcomer would be able to help us?"

"I don't know. She was pretty tired the last time we saw her but we'll find out," David responded, when they both broke out into a light run to get to the house a little faster.

As the hours passed by with little to no news about Emma's whereabouts, the whole town's original uneasiness grew into complete and utter fear. It was totally out of her character to leave without anybody's knowledge, especially her son's, which made the situation even scarier.

She was literally _nowhere_ to be seen.

When the night drew in, the teams reported back to Granny's, in melancholy, and only dispersed to their homes when David told them to, uncertainty and misery clear in their eyes. As Mary Margaret, Belle, Hook, Henry, Robin, Regina, Granny and David lingered in the diner, they clustered together in a small circle, trying to convince the boy, and themselves, that Emma was fine.

"Where can she be?" Henry asked; his questioned aimed at nobody in particular. Hook, who was right beside him, gently tugged Henry towards him by laying his good hand onto his shoulder; his portable attachment once again behind his back. He tried to give him a convincing smile but it was too difficult for him to do in this situation.

"We'll find her, lad. I'm sure of it, but for now," he said with a reassuring smile, "it's time for you to go to bed…it's nearly 10 pm, mate."

"Are you serious?! I can't go to bed now! My mom's missing!"

"He's right, Henry," Mary Margaret interjected, her voice slightly cracking. "Let us worry about your mom. You need your rest."

"But where am I going to sleep? I don't want to go back to our apartment alone!"

"You can stay with me," Regina said with soft eyes, tentatively stepping forward since she was unsure of his reaction. "I have a room already set up for you…"

"You have a room already set up for me? Why?" he asked with curious, wide eyes.

Regina mentally slapped and chastised herself. _That was a stupid thing to say_! "Umm, not specifically for you, I have a…a young cousin, around your age, that stays with me from time to time but he's not here now so…the room is currently available…"

Everybody waited for Henry's response, after her stumbling explanation was given, and within a few minutes, he nodded his head, willingly accepting her offer. Regina exhaled in relief, trying hard to hide the happiness she was feeling at the thought of spending some time with her son because of the bad circumstances that had provoked it. It'll be hard for her to keep her feelings for him a secret but she'll have to play it off and manage for the time being.

Henry moved over to Regina, who gently smiled at him, so they could both head to the door together, but when they were moments away from leaving, she then stopped to look at the remaining individuals in the room; her voice filled with a practiced authority. "Let's all meet here in the morning, around 8 am. We're going to look for her again, but this time," she paused, cautiously choosing her words. "We'll do it _my_ way." She was about to turn around to leave when she addressed them for a second time, a noticeable change in her tone. "We'll also need _her_..."

"Her?" Hook asked, a brow raised.

"_Glen_..." Regina responded, her tone somber when she specifically looked at David and Mary Margaret, knowing that they would immediately understand who she was talking about. They all agreed, though the majority of them _were_ slightly confused—they thought it would be best to ask those who _did_ know when the two left—which happened a few minutes later.

Swinging the door open for them both, Regina hoped that wherever Emma was, she was holding her own and had enough confidence in her abilities to use them, if she needed to, but she had a feeling that something was…wrong. Placing a hand on Henry's shoulder, she led him to her car, which was parked on the opposite side of the street. Breathing in the air deeply, she swallowed the lump in her throat when she thought about where they were going...

She was taking Henry, her shared son, back to his forgotten, second home...a place that started it all.

**…**

**Another chapter is on its way soon!**


	9. Intense Preparations

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Hook was over at The Rabbit Hole where he was drinking himself into a stupor. He was later joined by Robin and, after some time, he accidentally told him that he was cursed by Zelena. Later the next day, Henry told a group of people, in the Diner, that Emma was missing but when they searched, they weren't able find her.**

**Review if you can! :)****  
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******UPDATE: Major editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/28/2014.****

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**Chapter Nine: Intense Preparations**

**…**

**T**he heart bounced then twitched in Zelena's hand when Emma's right side slammed against the living room floor of the farmhouse, her body shaking in a fit of spasms from the total impact of her collapsing weight. Breathing heavily, Emma then, as if automatically, went into a fetal position, waves of assumed pain washing over her as she continued to lie there with her blonde hair splayed out about her head; contrasting against the dark wooden planks beneath her.

"You can do better than that…" the Wicked Witch commented from her spot, her features racked with disappointment when she made her way over to the fallen woman. "It hurts, doesn't it? _Remember_ that feeling, my dear. The sooner you understand your mistakes, the sooner you'll be able to learn from them…then again, my dear baby sister _was_ your mentor beforehand, so the lack of control that you've been demonstrating shouldn't really come as a surprise."

Noticing that the heart was beating furiously, once again, in the palm of her hand, she smirked. "Fantastic, so you _are_ processing what I'm saying…that's good to know. Least _something's _working…"

She had found out, during her last chat with the Ice Queen, that the benefit of owning a product's heart was that once you've told them something, they'll automatically register or comprehend your words, which was a great feature to have if you're the type of person who's not so keen on repetition. That same arrangement also endows the holder the power to: control them (solely), stimulate a memory (seen, performed or both) by a vocal command; reminders of past conversations, which would make them able to recall certain types of loyal information; and lastly, have them perform in any way that suits _your _needs—basically, they're capable of downloading and understanding all sorts of information.

After positioning herself near Emma's head, Zelena bent down to get a better look at her and even moved some strands of her long hair out of the way, so she would be able to see her clearly, but when she did, she instantly noticed the collection of bruises sprouting along her cheek and neck. Curious to see if the damage was extensive, she slightly pulled the collar of Emma's shirt down and, indeed, saw another series of marks forming along her shoulder and collarbone. Shaking her head in exasperation, Zelena tossed the pieces of hair back and straightened herself up to her full height, her patience wearing thin. _The other side probably looks just as bad_, she thought wearily.

She had to think of a way to connect Emma to her powers because this was taking longer than she had originally anticipated. She was entirely aware of her situation, how Emma could barely manage her magic, but her lack of control was _astounding_. The only upside Zelena could see was that even though she didn't have the will to do as she pleased, there was still a way to manipulate her _and_ her powers, thanks to the heart she had obtained, but the big question that followed immediately after that was: _HOW_? _How_ would she be able to make _that_ connection happen inside of Emma when _she_ doesn't have any type of magical fortitude?

"Again," she ordered; her voice strict.

Emma stumbled to get to her feet by rolling directly onto her stomach, which seemed to be an easier way, on her part, to prop herself up, and from that position, she used what little strength she had left in her hands, arms and feet to stand. Her muscles screamed when she straightened herself, her bones creaking from the overuse, while her blonde hair swayed out in front of her before quickly gathering and resting against her chest and shoulders. Though she was breathing raggedly and was evidently tired, her eyes never showed it, they just simply stared out in front of her, lifeless and numb.

"Good," Zelena whispered, observing her mindless pupil's expression. She wasn't worried that Emma would somehow find a way to get out of this but products of true love are, apparently, "very complex" in terms of their abilities. So, if she _did_ find a way to separate herself from her, Zelena would have to be very careful.

Raising Emma's heart up to her mouth, her lips inches away from the beating organ, Zelena delivered her commands directly to it. "Pay attention," Emma's head then snapped up to look at her. "We're going to do it again but this time, you'll defend yourself as you see fit. If you don't impress me, I'll give you a crash course in the basics, which would only waste time…and I don't want to do that. Shield yourself, fling it away, whatever…just tap into that place that establishes your measure of control."

Immediately following her words, she raised her free hand to summon a tiny ball of green energy, the light crackling and glowing ferociously in the (purposefully) dimmed room. Emma's attention never wavered from Zelena, the instructions _ordering_ her to do so, and when she was satisfied with the girl's level of focus, the latter hurled it at her; the movement fluid and composed. Emma raised a hand to fling it away but her powers did little to sway the incoming orb, which, subsequently, crashed into her stomach and made her fall down backwards; her backside taking the grunt of it when it forced her into a sitting position onto the floor. Zelena groaned out her frustrations before telling her to get back up.

"Honestly, it's as if I'm talking to a wall…" she commented while rubbing her forehead, resisting the urge to crush the heart she was cradling. "You better count your lucky stars that you're essential to what we're trying to accomplish because I'm about three seconds away from finishing you off; _personally_…Obviously, a different approach is in order…"

So far, training her has been…interesting. She has been with her for a little over a day and there was hardly anything to show for it. Her powers were definitely stunted and only seemed to come out whenever she felt threatened—like when her life was _literally_ at stake—which meant that her instincts play a huge part in how she interacts with certain kinds of obstacles. _That has got to be fixed by morning_, Zelena thought, tapping some of her fingers against her chin while stroking Emma's heart with her thumb.

Taking some more time to further analyze her, Zelena took a step towards Emma, as if a close inspection would help her reasoning process. When she thought back to the day they had officially met, she remembered judging her—like: her attitude, the way she held herself up, her aura, etc.—and what she had gleaned from that encounter was that the girl was WEAK. She had no decent training and everything about her screamed "apprentice" but that belief was challenged last night when she was perfectly capable of enflaming her fingertips in sparks of light. That little spectacle presented her with the unique and daunting task of figuring out what the _hell_ was wrong with Emma's mental and magical state. She was both pathetic _and_ practiced in the arts, which led her to believe that her spiritual foundation wasn't connected or didn't have a strong inner resource to draw from. Having that ability is _essential_, in any given situation, to either: fight, channel or adapt, but since her proper outlet wasn't fully developed; the likely conclusion for them both was that they were...screwed. How could she make this plan come together IF she couldn't get the "savior" ready for her part?

And as soon as she gave it a little more thought, an idea popped into her head, making her smile for the first time in hours.

_I'll just have to inspire her…_

She then took a couple of steps back and lifted her free hand to, once again, summon an energy ball, but instead of making just one, she constructed a total of ten and, as soon as they were ready to use, she placed them around Emma in a strategic matter; encasing them both in an eerie green shadow. Crossing her arms in an effort to get more comfortable, she gave out her orders to Emma via the beating heart she had propped up near her mouth.

Clearing her throat, she began. "We're going to mix things up a bit...Instead of having you practice all the things we've been doing separately AGAIN, we're going to combine them into ONE exercise. Do you understand?" Emma nodded mechanically. "But just to recap on what we've already covered, so it can make a lasting impression on your memory, I will take some time to remind you that there are _four_ standard or elementary forms of defensive magic: _deflection_, where you'll rebound an object back into the direction it came from by flexing one or both wrists; _shielding_, a protective barrier that is made by raising one or both of your hands in front of you; _holding_, where you'll stop things from getting anywhere near you by firmly placing one or both of your hands out; and _casting_, where you'll fling things away by also flexing a wrist. Both the deflection and the casting can be used for offensive tactics but we're going to have to wait and see if you're ready for that..." Pausing, she looked at the heart and noticed that her words were being received, since it was moving in a blinking fashion, allowing her to carry on.

"Do you see the green energy balls around you?" Emma nodded after she was permitted to gloss a few of them over by turning her head both ways; taking in the ones behind her via her peripheral vision. "Okay, I'm going to release them in your direction but after I do so, they'll begin to follow you around as if they were acting on their own volition, so you'll have to use one or all of those defensive forms for protection. Prepare yourself in the way that I taught you."

Emma acknowledged the command by standing up straighter with her knees and elbows slightly bent, dropping her stance so she could get into her pose. Her palms were up and facing one another while her center gravity steadily made its way down to the lower half of her body; her calves and ankles quickly aligning themselves in order to give her a sense of balance. Zelena waited a couple of seconds before flicking one of her fingers, signaling the energy balls to attack, which they with great speed and purpose. The first one slammed into Emma before she could even think about using her abilities, hitting her squarely in the left leg, making her buckle and lose her stance. The second came from behind and pushed her forward, causing her arms to drop in a shallow attempt to stop herself from falling; though her staggering movements only casted her further off balance. The sheer force of the third knocked her into the vacant wall, on her left, while the fourth supplemented the previous action by crashing into her right shoulder, making her body shake violently on one side. Emma managed to dodge the fifth, which would've hit her in the neck, by "voluntarily" sliding down the wall, but when she prepared herself for the sixth one, she heard Zelena call out to her.

Putting the idea she had into motion, she provoked, her voice clear and menacing. "You're nothing but an abandoned orphan who's never going to amount to _anything_…" Emma's heart stopped for a moment, as if shocked by the blunt statement, but after a few seconds, it started pumping wildly again; in an effort to retrain her "focus" back onto the task at hand. She got away from the wall by throwing herself onto the floor, ultimately dodging the sixth energy ball, which would've struck her in the lower stomach if she didn't move. Sensing a change in her attitude and behavior, by the way her heart was reacting, Zelena spoke again.

"Your parents are having another baby and I bet that they're not going to give this child up, not as _willingly_ as they did you. They're going to take care of it, watch over it, see it grow, nurture it, and _LOVE_ it…nothing they _ever_ did to you because they gave _you_ up. In fact, they probably don't care about you at all, which is why they're REPLACING you."

Her heart pulsed faster and not because of the adrenaline. Zelena could tell that she was getting to her but that's exactly what she wanted—to _affect_ her, to get her riled up because, usually, the most amazing thing happens when one is angry or upset: you find your _passion_. And even though she didn't have her heart _inside_ of her, she was still capable of feeling emotions which, interestingly enough; includes: the bottled, hidden or subliminal ones.

Slowing the balls down a bit by simply raising her free hand in the air, she continued. "And where your intimate relationships are concerned, you're _never_ going to find the one meant for you. I mean, the men you've met have simply let you down, especially that dashing Captain Hook. Whatever feelings you may have blooming for him, it won't work, last OR matter because of how secretive he is…_doubt_ is never a good quality to have _in_ or _for_ a partner."

Emma's reaction skyrocketed, her heart pumped violently in Zelena's hand, as if she was unconsciously registering the provocations, and as soon as the seventh ball neared her, her attitude completely changed. Facing it, she raised a hand up to flick it away, deflecting the incoming object back to where it came from with professional ease. There was a slight mindfulness taking shape around her eyes, a noticeable change from the bland expression she had been wearing for a while, and when both the eighth and ninth ball caught her attention, her face lit up in awareness. Using both of her hands, she flung the fastest of the two into the nearest farmhouse window before magically entrapping and keeping the other at a reasonable distance, successfully performing the "casting" and "holding" defenses, but as she struggled to maintain her grip on the one she was ensnaring; the tenth and final ball moved to a more central location. Leveling itself with her frontal stance, it waited, patiently stalking her movements, but when Emma tried to establish more control by involuntarily twitching—it suddenly lurched forward, its deadly speed aiming straight for the middle of her chest. Breathing deeply, she reacted by swinging her free arm in front of her, hand up and palm turned outward, where she then managed to release a powerful protective barrier; pools of black light covering the tips of her fingers in its magic.

Zelena's smile widened at the unexpected prowess she had just witnessed. The turning point had finally arrived! "My, my, you have lots of repressed rage, Savior. I can feel it here in my hand. Your family and that attractive pirate are quite the pressure point for you. I must find some way to thank them; they certainly got the job done." She then cleared the room of any residual energy balls, including the one Emma was still holding, plus any mess that was made during the exercise, with a simple wave of her hand; all the while approaching her pupil with a pleased expression.

"So, the key that affects _you_ and inspires _you_ to work is _anger_. It makes sense now when I think back to when I visited you at your room. You were so...deliciously mad then too...I guess...that is something you and I have in common and speaking from experience, I think that it's the only way to go. Anger makes you stronger. It focuses your intentions and hones in on your desires, well, _my_ desires where you're concerned." She circled around her once, inspecting her for any serious injuries she may have gotten before stopping right in front of her, her features smug. "Whenever you fight, you _will_ tap into your anger; remember the feelings you just had and use them to the fullest." As soon as the heart finished blinking, Zelena instructed her to follow her to the dining room, where the chalice still stood in the middle of the table, along with the old, thick book and some tools. Everything was in complete disarray, _except_ for the desk. There was a considerable amount of dust everywhere that seemed to know no bounds since it even coated the three discarded items that were still on the floor in complete abandonment, but it didn't bother her at all. She had more important things to worry about than a cleaned house...

The vessel was heavily filled with the core ingredients but still needed the two important ones, the first of which she was about to deal with right now.

Approaching the chalice from the nearest side, she ordered Emma to stand next to her with her hand out. Zelena then carefully set the heart down onto the table so she could bring the cup closer to them, which she did rather quickly. "Now that you're ready, it's time to add your blood, my dear. Don't worry, you won't feel a thing." She then picked up one of the sharp instruments that was already there and pushed the tip of it into the soft pad of Emma's palm, blood instantly trickling out of the wound. Gently grabbing the hand, Zelena guided it over to the uncovered chalice and held it out, where she watched the blood drip in slowly after manually rotating Emma's wrist to one side.

As soon as the red fluid made contact with the other materials, the liquid bubbled violently, the contents twisting and boiling before a puff of black smoke erupted from it, dissipating seconds later. Zelena then magically opened the book to the page that held the important passage and nodded her head, gleefully. "Well, that part is done. I now have less than two days to complete this, otherwise, it'll spoil and we _can't_ have that, BUT...since I made the conscious decision to put in your blood now, instead of waiting till I had your sibling's heart, I can just add that in when acquired; no unfortunate time restraints! I don't want to risk anything on the high possibility of a rescue attempt."

She then scrutinized Emma's blank expression before looking down at the heart, another idea coming to her. She lifted up one of her hands and magically called to her a particular vial from the kitchen and two gemmed necklaces from her room. When they arrived, floating in front of them, she plucked the bottle from the air and opened it, pouring a handful of the chalky, burgundy texture into one of her hands before dispersing it, blowing the particles into the hovering jewelry's direction. The dull ornaments transformed into a pale green color as soon as the specks hit them, which coated them entirely in its power.

Zelena then turned her attention over to the beating organ and picked it up, with her unsoiled hand, so she could easily transfer the leftover amount to the other by gently sprinkling the remainder on top of it; the action temporarily changing the heart into an unnatural blood orange hue before subsiding to its normal color.

"There, now it's complete. _This_," she started; shaking the vial before magically removing the remaining powder from her hands with a couple circular motions, "contains the dry potion known as the 'Resemblance Tonic', which will allow me to maintain communication with you at all times. I just now realized that I'll have to put your heart someplace special because of your debut tomorrow where the likelihood of it staying in my possession is, unfortunately, _very_ much left to chance."

Zelena then took one of the necklaces from the air and fastened it around Emma's neck, the gem settling in the middle of her chest. After doing the same thing to herself, easily slipping the second piece of jewelry around her own, she gave Emma a satisfying smile. "_This_ is a way to ensure that my precious commodity will be safe from prying hands, but until that time comes, I'll just keep it with me…Now," she stated, picking up Emma's heart while making her way over to the entrance, where she then summoned to her a long, sharp object; her other hand carefully caressing the hilt. Magically opening the front door, she called Emma over to her.

As a breeze fluttered about her from the outside, Zelena asked, in amusement, "Shall we go pay someone a visit?"

**…**

**G**old sat idly in his cage, wishing that he could just walk out and wreak his vengeance upon the witch who took his will, his son's life and his dagger. _When I get out of here_, he thought gravely, his hands flexing restlessly beside him. _I'm coming for you, dearie_…

He was just about to lean his head back against the bars behind him, to set up for another sleepless night, when the cellar door opened; the hinge's creaking filling up the small space. _She doesn't usually visit me this late…it must be important_.

"Rise and shine, Rumplestiltskin, you have a visitor."

"What are you talking about?" he responded, stoically, tired of all the games she often played with him—so much so that he didn't even bother to look in her direction. "Who have you brought for me this time, mm? Is it another one of your pathetic tall tales to pass the time away, eh? Or do you have _another_ person that you'd like to turn into a monkey in front of me?"

As she made her way down the steps, she giggled, not even trying to hide the unusual happiness she was feeling, which finally made him look at her; suspicion resonating in every corner of his face. "Don't be silly, I brought you something better. I told you last night that I would have a present for you…"

"Whatever it is, I'm not interested."

"Ahhhh," she said, elongating the word while moving in closer towards the cage, raising the long, sharp object she had brought with her, on the way out of the house, up. "Nevertheless, you should stand up and welcome our guest." His eyes flitted between her and what she was holding before he unwillingly stood up, his resolve considerably weak against her commands when they were coupled with his dagger, which was something she had become quite possessive about. She then stalked around him, dragging the edge of the blade against the rails, creating an annoying screeching sound, but as he watched her, he happened to see what she was holding in her other hand. The shape of which he instantly recognized.

"_Whose_ heart is that?" he asked; his accent thickening when he narrowed his eyes, an alarm going off in his head.

"It's not your precious Belle's if that's what you're worried about," Zelena responded quickly, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Don't you remember anything about our conversation, darling? The one we had before I left last night on an 'important errand'?"

His eyes widened when he recalled their peculiar conversation. She had told him a little bit about her plans—how she wanted Ms. Swan for a spell she was concocting—but if she did what he _thought_ she did, and that was the heart of _whom_ she had mentioned, then they were all in some serious trouble. "You didn't…? You couldn't have…_She_ wouldn't have—"

"Oh, yes she did. Heroes would do anything, or give up anything, to save the thing villains don't have the luxury of having: _love_…you should know that better than most, Rumple. Think about all the hurt and pain you've put _her_ through, put them _all_ through. The only difference is," she said, leaning forward, so that her face was almost pressing up against the cold bars. "No matter how hard you try, you'll never be one of them."

"Maybe not," he said, his tone filled with menace. "But least I have people who care about me, dearie. Can't say the same, can you?"

"I don't need them, not with what's about to happen." She then pushed herself away from his cage and called out to Emma, her voice clear and sharp. Lowering the dagger down to her side, she sneered at him but addressed her. "You may come in but be careful when coming down the stairs."

Emma then appeared at the entrance of the cellar and slowly descended; her eyes focused heavily on what she was doing so that she wouldn't slip. Gold was relatively speechless when he watched her fall into place beside Zelena, like it was a natural thing for her to do. He honestly didn't know what to say because for the first time, in a long time, he was stunned. _So, she has done it. She has done what others haven't. She managed to get her hands on the heart of a product..._

"It's certainly an accomplishment on your part, I must say," he said thoughtfully, turning his words over carefully to hide his bewilderment. The fact that she was actually close to what she wanted to do, from what little she had told him, concerned him a great deal.

"More than what you or Regina ever did," she answered back, lifting Emma's heart up so he could see it more clearly. "Not to brag but no one has ever accomplished anything like this before. I'm definitely in the mood to celebrate which is way we came down here to tell you to...prepare yourself…"

"Why would I need to 'prepare myself'?" he asked with a raised brow, his gaze going between Zelena and Emma, the latter of whom, from what little he could see, was covered in cuts and bruises.

With the sneer still looming on her face, she answered him. "The clock is ticking, dear, and the beginning of the end will start tomorrow. The life you might have; the life that _I_ have in store for you…_won't_ be a _pretty_ one." After leaving her words to hang in the space between them, she giggled again, the sound sending a chill down his spine. "Come along, puppet. It's time to go." She then turned to leave with Emma following close behind her, but as soon as she made it over to the first step, he called out to her; making her stop.

"Your partner must be of the clever sort…"

She then faced him with a neutral expression. "What would make you say something like that?"

"You're not nearly capable or crafty enough to come up with such a plan yourself," he answered with a drawl, his eyes never wavering from hers when he sat back down. "So tell me, dearie, what brilliance are you now associating with these days, besides me?"

Not letting his words get to her, she grinned, maliciously. "I'm sorry but the sharing portion is over. It's time to get back to her training. She's improving a great deal and I've decided to expand on that by having her practice a few offensive tactics before time runs out. I want her to look and act her best, so," she paused, taking a moment to blow him a kiss. "Sleep tight, Rumplestiltskin and as you drift off to sleep, try not to worry your little head about this. I have a feeling that if you think about what I've been saying for a long period of time, it could stress you out further."

"It shouldn't matter if you tell me or not," he stated bitterly, finally looking away, an unfamiliar sense of fatigue gripping him. "I'm your slave either way…for now…"

"Yes, for _now_," she repeated, her tone unreadable when she instructed Emma to pass her by so that she would be able to take a lingering look at her captive and his surroundings before continuing on with the preparations.

**…**

**Hope you liked it!**


	10. Looks Can Be Deceiving

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Zelena has been training Emma and finally made her connect to her powers but at what price? The witch then had a talk with Gold, who wasn't entirely convinced that she constructed this plan all by herself.**

**Hope you like it! :]**

**...**

****UPDATE: Major editorial changes. I reorganized, added, removed, replaced and revamped this Chapter on 8/29/2014.**

**…**

**Chapter Ten: Looks Can Be Deceiving**

**…**

**H**ook observed the streets and sidewalks when he made his way over to the loft, his legs burning from exhaustion as he closed in on his destination, his hefty satchel slapping repeatedly against the middle of his thigh. After their unsuccessful rescue searches the other day, he headed to his temporary home, at the docks, where he paced the night away, his mind burdened with the horrible things that could be happening to the woman he loves.

If Zelena _was_ her captor, then it was unquestionably _his_ fault. He should've done something earlier instead of keeping everything a secret. _Where can she be_? He thought inwardly, pinching the bridge of his nose momentarily to alleviate some of the residual headache he has been experiencing since his unfortunate hangover.

When he dropped his hand, a yawn escaped from his mouth, causing Hook to squint a glance up at the sky. Judging from the sun's orangey color and position, he determined that it was sometime before 7 am and since he didn't sleep a wink last night...he was going to be fatigued all day long, but regardless of the time, he had a feeling that he wasn't the only person who was up and worried.

As soon as he saw the building's front entrance, he jogged to it, grabbed the handle, pulled it open and entered; taking the steps two at a time to get to their door faster. When he reached the top, he steadily approached the Nolan's home, hoping that his presumptions of them being awake were true because not only did he want to meet them before they headed over to Granny's, he wanted to talk; figuring that now was a good time for him to come clean about a few things…

Raising a shaky hand, he rapped against the wooden frame, the sound of it echoing in the empty hallway around him, but when a few minutes passed by and nobody answered the door, Hook rubbed his forehead, anxiously. Thinking that they might be elsewhere in the apartment, he did it again, but louder, earning him a customary red splotch across his knuckles. Sighing out his frustrations when he got the same result, Hook was about to turn around and head over to the Diner, probably earlier than expected, when he heard the door click open.

It was David and he looked as tired as he felt.

His eyes were half-lidded, his complexion was an unhealthy pasty color and a dark shadow was starting to show around his chin and neck. When he recognized the person on the other end of the door, David said his name flatly and took a step back, his free hand gesturing for him to enter, which Hook immediately accepted. He walked past the unkempt man, who was already dressed with his scabbard and sheathed sword, and stepped into the open area; where he caught himself looking down to avoid any possible broken shards from the last time he was there..._which_ was during Emma's magical session. Instantly, he felt his heart tighten at the memory.

When he closed the door behind his guest, David cleared his throat before rubbing, then pinching, at his neck. "You look like you haven't slept."

"No," Hook responded. "I haven't. I hope that I'm not intruding on anything, mate." Glancing up at the clock to see the time, he noticed that it was 6:37 in the morning, making his earlier speculation about the sky and the position of the sun correct.

David shook his head when he followed Hook deeper into the room, ultimately settling himself on the opposite side of the kitchen island, near the refrigerator. "Do you have any news about Emma?"

Hook, sadly, muttered a "no" when moved closer to where the other man had stationed himself, placing both his hand and metal appendage carefully onto the table's surface. Should he tell him now? Or should he wait till they were both in the same room to confess? ...

"What brings you here then?" David cut in, unknowingly interrupting Hook's indecisive thoughts. "Are you planning on escorting us to Granny's?"

"Aye, but I wanted to…to talk to you both before…" Hook then stopped, interrupted by the creaking sounds of someone coming down the stairs.

They both looked up in time to see Mary Margaret and Glinda emerging from the above floor; the Good Witch was stationed behind the former when they carefully dismounted and joined the two men below.

Hook noticed that Mary Margaret's eyes were visibly red from crying when she wobbled her way over to where her husband was without saying anything to them—she just sat down in one of the stools and clasped her hands together; her attention drawn to her fidgety fingers. Glinda, on the other hand, who decided to stand by the stairs with her arms crossed, looked very refreshed. The only thing that conflicted with her appearance was the sullen eyes she wore, no doubt from the sudden change of events, but that wasn't what pulled his focus. There was an object that was harmlessly floating a few inches from the left side of her head and shoulder, bobbing up and down in somewhat of a defensive manner. From the moment he saw her, _it_ was there; trailing behind her while, concurrently, beaming in a self-indulgent, inhuman light. Hook skimmed it with his eyes, intrigued as to its purpose and design because not only was he still suspicious of Glinda, he was _generally_ skeptical towards mysterious and/or magical objects that had the ability to...well, control its own movements; among other things.

Sensing that someone was looking at her, Glinda shifted her gaze about the room and instantly caught Hook's eyes, making him flinch a bit from the unexpected connection. Sighing softly, she slightly looked away, her thoughts wandering back to the moment when she had found out about Emma. She felt bad that she wasn't able to do anything or participate in the searches yesterday; apparently, she was more worn out than she had originally thought and anticipated. The overuse of her magic totally weakened her, physically, mentally and spiritually and even though the long, recreational nap was necessary…it was also ill-timed. Feeling her sadness give way to guilt, she was just about to distract herself by saying something to the other people in the room, to give them some kind of hope, when she discovered that they were already staring at _her_—Hook especially.

In order to hold back her surprise, she swallowed her words down and tried to look as comfortable as possible. With her intuitive nature, she was well aware that Emma's parents were looking to her for guidance, for her to share her wisdom in this growing situation, but where Killian was concerned, she sensed a different matter entirely. Half of it, she was sure, concerned her crystal's presence—she could tell because his eyes kept bouncing from her to it and back—but the other half was about her physically _being_ in Storybrooke. _He still doesn't trust me_…she noted objectively, after quickly analyzing his facial and body language.

Offering him a smile to dissuade his rash opinion, she spoke to him. "It's been a while since last we met…how are you fairing, Killian Jones?"

"I've…I've been better," he answered truthfully, hesitating for a moment. It took him only a second to realize that she had used his real name _again_, which, unintentionally, got him to return her smile. Whenever someone addressed him as such, especially nowadays, it was like waking up from a long, overdue dream—one that was filled with hellish pain and undeserving nightmares.

Mentally shaking his head, he found himself looking at the object beside her, once more, his curiosity peaking_. It looks like a floating diamond_. "What exactly is _that_, lass?"

_And there it is_. Maintaining her friendly demeanor, she replied, readily. "This is my Southern Crystal. It has been in my charge for many years and will continue to do so for as long as I'm able. It has three forms and you've already seen two, the wand and..._this_ one." His eyes narrowed, as if he was unsatisfied with her answer, but she politely waved him off, dismissing anything he may say so that they could deal with more important matters. "If you were able to attend the meeting I held here on my arrival, the same one that I _invited_ you to, you would know much more about it and _then_ some. I might be able to explain a fraction of it to you later, but now, we have to find Emma."

Thrown back by her response, Hook opened then closed his mouth. He was about to give her a clever retort but knew that she was right. Their concern should be about locating Emma, not bickering.

Using the new shift of topic, David called out to them, his voice raspy. "On that note, are we all ready to go? It may be early but it beats sitting here and doing nothing."

The women vocally agreed while Hook gave an off-nod, tilting his head to one side before looking away, his pitiful attempt to avoid David's eyes. Mary Margaret struggled to get to her feet but managed with her husband's help and as the couple made their way over to the door, Hook noticed that Glinda didn't budge from her spot. Instead, she gave _him_ a look, a pointed one, which seemed to say: _TELL THEM THE TRUTH_.

Raising a questioning brow at her, Hook shrugged his shoulders in false indifference, as if he was trying to convince them both that that particular subject matter wasn't really important and that he could tell them later, but she saw right through him. She knew that he really wanted to but the fear of rejection was getting to him. It was _killing_ him. It was weighing him down with unspoken regret and grief.

So, in a way to push it out of him, she changed her suggestive look to a demanding one by narrowing her eyes and reducing her lips to a thin line before (since the Charming's backs were facing them) blatantly thrusting a finger at him then at the couple, _physically_ indicating what she wanted him to do. Hook's eyes widened when he tried to convey his feelings to her, silently, but when she vigorously shook her head at him, he stopped fighting. Biting his lip in irritation and nervousness, he turned away from her and faced the people he came to see.

"Before we head over to Granny's," he started, briefly averting his gaze to hide the apprehension that was washing over him in waves. "I have a confession to make…it concerns my presence two nights ago…the last time we all saw Emma…"

"What do you mean that you have a '_confession_'?" Mary Margaret asked; her voice breaking. "Do you know what's happened to her?"

Feeling the burden of her questions, Hook swallowed the huge lump that was forming in his throat. "No, I don't know where she is exactly but I may have the reason as to _why_ she was taken, if she was captured by the Wicked Witch." Not giving them the chance to interrupt, he carried on. "All this started when Ariel came into town, looking for her lost love. It turned out that she wasn't who she said she was...It was really _Zelena_ in a pretty convincing disguise..." David and Mary Margaret both gasped; the former less vocal than the latter.

"Why would she do that?" Mary Margaret asked after a moment, stunned by his revelation.

"She did it to get to me."

"Why would she want _you_?" David asked; his eyes flickering to the rhythm of his growing suspicions. "Are you working with her?" He then took a threatening step towards the pirate.

Standing his ground, Hook continued, carefully. "No! I'm not working for or _with_ her! Somehow, the witch discovered that the mermaid and I had a…" he then paused—how much did he want to tell them? Should he mention that he had traded his ship? How gave up hope? How he tried to forget about his feelings for Emma? ...It took him a long minute to decide that curbing some of the less important details was probably in his best interest, least at the moment. Fiddling with his hook, he spoke again. "…We had a disagreement in the past year, one that obviously captured the witch's interest because she thought that…that I was the best way to get to her, so...she cursed me."

David furrowed his brows, many emotions contorting his features. "_How_ did she curse you?"

"She put a spell on…on my lips, so that the next time we, uh, kissed," he met David's eyes, "her powers would be removed."

"'_Removed'_? As in permanently?" Mary Margaret questioned, taking a step forward, as well, so she could see Hook better.

"Aye."

"Why would you keep this a secret?"

"She threatened to harm Henry and possibly anybody else she cared for if I warned her..."

As if in disbelief, Mary Margaret repeated some of the information. "Zelena...Zelena said all that?"

He nodded his head quietly, unable to answer that particular question verbally.

"And, uh," David suddenly said, pointing an intimidating finger at him. "Did you _try_ to _or_ _did_ you kiss my daughter to take away her powers?"

"No, I didn't, mate! And I swear on my honor that I never intended to! You have to believe me," he pleaded. "I care about her too much to betray her like that _or_ this family...and if she's missing because of me, I—"

"Hook—" David started, his attitude subsiding at the man's words, but he failed to get his attention because he kept going; his mind apparently too focused on getting his thoughts out.

"—I don't know what I would do—"

"_Hook_—" Mary Margaret chimed in, emphasizing his name so he could hear her.

"—Emma means _everything_ to me—"

"Hook," Glinda interjected; her tone both piercing and effective enough to get through to him. When he realized that they were all staring in his direction, he gave them a sheepish grin, muttered his regret and ignored the fluster that was tinting the color of his cheeks. To keep his fingers busy, he then instinctively grabbed and latched onto the front his belt, trying to regain some of his composure.

"...Is that what you were both talking about? The last time you guys were here?" Mary Margaret inquired, giving him a sympathetic look, finally figuring out the purpose of his visit as well as what has been bothering him.

"I was about to but I couldn't…I didn't want to hurt her or be…" he stopped to clear the dryness in his throat, "…shunned by her, which happened anyway…" The memory of her banning him flashed in his mind, making the process all the more difficult, but the longer he talked about it and shared his anguish, including how she had reacted to his leaving; the easier it became. When he had finished, he actually felt some of the pressure begin to lift off of his shoulders, but however long that remarkable freedom would last, he didn't know—what they chose to do with the information he had given was up to them.

His fate was literally in their hands.

Glinda watched the three carefully. She believed that they would accept his confession but what she wasn't so sure of were their reactions. His past life could have _some_ influence in their decision to trust him in the long run, should they allow that to get in the way, but from what she has seen and read, he seemed to have turned over a new leaf and, lucky for her, she knew the "how" and "why".

Lifting her head up a bit, Glinda intervened, her voice gentle and full of practicality. "I believe him. If Killian had the intention of taking her abilities away, he would have done so the moment the curse was placed upon him and he _absolutely_ wouldn't have admitted his guilt, to anyone, especially now that Emma has gone missing."

Everybody was quiet when they considered her words, letting the insight of them sink it. David rubbed at his chin roughly before he spoke, his eyes wandering over Hook's face; looking for any signs of deception—a page that he had learned from his daughter. "Okay, Glinda's right…I believe you too."

Blinking back his surprise, Hook's voice came out in a tiny whisper. "Y-you do?"

Nodding his head, he responded. "It sounds like, to me, that Zelena put you in a difficult position and you handled it as best as you could…under the circumstances."

"I agree," Mary Margaret said, tearing Hook's eyes away from David. "You cared enough about Emma to ignore Zelena and for that, you've earned my trust."

His face relaxed at her kind words. "I don't know what to say…" –he was telling the truth. He was genuinely stunned at how they were taking it. So...has he been overreacting and blowing this whole thing out of proportion by making assumptions? It would appear as if he had, judging from their replies, but that realization led him to something more severe: if he had told Emma the same thing, would she have taken the news like her parents? Would she have understood the position he was in? ...Would she be with them right now? Swallowing hard, he somehow found it within himself to utter his gratitude.

"Well," Glinda said, finally moving from her spot and over to the door, giving Hook a sincere smile when she passed by him, the crystal following her every move. When she got there, she turned the knob and pushed the moveable frame away from her. "Shall we head over there now? To this 'Diner' you've mentioned?"

"Yes," David replied quickly, determined to get this new day started. After regarding Hook for a final time, one of empathy and minor doubt, he then escorted his wife out of the room, hand-in-hand, where they both disappeared down the steps in a matter of seconds. Glinda then followed, without looking back, her movements swift and agile while Hook trailed behind, locking and closing the door before he too climbed down the stairs.

Nearly twenty minutes had passed since his arrival, he had managed to sneak a look at the clock before leaving, and he couldn't help but to breathe out a sigh of relief. He had accomplished what he had set out to do…and he owed it all to Glinda. _Maybe she isn't so bad after all_…he thought, taking a moment to glance over at her.

When they closed in on the Diner, which was only a few minutes away from the loft, Mary Margaret felt a sharp kick in the lower part of her stomach, causing her to let go of her husband's hand so she could clutch her protruding belly. David stopped and turned to face her, the other two doing the same.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she responded, trying to give him a reassuring smile but the result turned out to be more of a wince. "The baby's just kicking. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Mmhmm," she said, nodding her head. She then grabbed his hand and laid it against her stomach, demonstrating that it was nothing more than the baby moving around, which he felt the instant his limb touched her. A small but unmistakable bump thumped against the middle of his palm, making his mouth drop open in wonder.

"It feels like a heartbeat…" he said with a wide grin—a feature no one has seen in a while, and when he felt it again, it only grew. "Our little guy is a strong one."

"_Ahh_, so it's a lad you're having, mate? Congratulations." Hook said when he picked up on what David had accidentally announced.

"_David_," Mary Margaret exclaimed; her eyes wide with shock. "You weren't supposed to say anything! We wanted it to be a surprise, remember?"

He gave her an apologetic expression while rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry…"

During their exchange, Glinda said and did nothing. She was too busy supervising the area around them and when she stepped away from the group, straightening the position of her body so that she could better see down the sidewalk—past the Clock Tower—her senses flared. She had a bad feeling. Something was going to happen and it was going to happen soon. "You all should go inside," she stated firmly while, simultaneously, summoning her crystal from its carefree floating position into her hands where, upon contact, it willfully transformed back into the long, metal wand she had arrived with in Storybrooke—the only difference was that it was now glowing because of her renewed strength. The three immediately heeded her warning by quickly making their way over to the Diner, which was already open for business, despite being confused and amazed at what she just did.

"I've been here for a while now," Granny confirmed when she saw Hook, Mary Margaret and David enter. "I had a strong feeling that _some_ would come early. Take a seat, _if_ you can find one..."

When they looked around, they saw that it was relatively full, even though Regina had only told a handful of people to meet her there at 8 am. Upon first glance, they spotted: Belle, Red, Leroy, Mother Superior, Tinkerbelle and Hopper—all of whom were mingling with other people in the room and making the area quite noisy. They remained unseen till Red made her way back around the counter and spotted them, her eyes widening.

"They're here!" She cried out, shushing the room. "Show some respect!" She then turned back to face them, gesturing to the large crowd. "Belle and Robin were the ones who spread the word. They figured that a bunch of people would be more productive."

"Thanks," David said while glancing over at the two beside him. Deciding to make themselves comfortable, they all made their way over to an unoccupied, middle booth, where they could feel everybody's eyes trained on them. The two men decided to stand, each one beside an end of the stall, while Mary Margaret sat down beside her husband's form, facing the door with an undecipherable expression.

"So, we're now waiting on Regina?" Belle asked after she had pushed her way, through the crowd, to get to them.

"I guess so," Hook muttered, leaning against the edge; tired of all the spectators who still were looking at them.

"Is that her?" Leroy suddenly asked; pointing to the woman who was making her way down to the middle of the street. "Is that the Southern Witch?"

A natural hush settled throughout room when her name was brought up. Mary Margaret answered by silently nodding her head before looking down at her hands, ignoring the tears that were threatening to pour out. She wanted this whole ordeal to be over. She wanted her daughter back with her, safe and sound, but if something _did_ happen to her...she didn't know what she would do. Shaking her head to rid herself of the negative thoughts that were consuming her, Mary Margaret wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and leaned back into the seat, determined to find Emma at any cost.

When the Diner fell into a mellowed silence, David tilted his head over to his left, looking around Hook, in order to see what Glinda was up to and from the looks of things, she was just...standing there in a weird pose. Her hands were outstretched to her sides, her palms were facing at an upwards angle and her eyes were focused on what lied ahead of her, intensely—as if she was waiting for something to happen—and if that was the case, he wanted to be out there _with_ her. So, with a hand on the hilt of his sword and a quick "excuse me" to his table, he made his way back outside where the morning wind blew and wrapped around him at an accelerated pace; the fierceness of it ruffling through his clothes, extensively.

"You should stay inside, your highness," Glinda declared, instinctually identifying his presence.

"If it concerns my daughter, I'm not going anywhere."

"It may…it may not…" she responded softly, her brows furrowing together as she tried to understand what it was that she was picking up. The wind was too complicated; too muddled to read in this realm. It pulled her focus in a way that made her skeptical towards the information that she _was_ getting. Closing her eyes, she tried to get a better link to her protecting element but suspected that she wasn't going to get anything definite by lightly meditating. Something _was_ going to happen here, in these streets, but unfortunately, she didn't have the Scroll with her to confirm anything.

Glinda was just about to dismiss her feelings when a change in the wind tugged her focus and made her turn to her left, forcing her to face in the direction of the forest, which lay only a few minutes away by running distance. Honing in on her senses, she tried to purify them; the humming sensation that was coursing in and out of her veins started to move at a furious speed. Time melted away when she allowed herself to fully immerse in the powerful feeling, her magical essences guiding and weaving her through the complications of her failed reading, and when she managed to acquire something credible, she dropped her stance; permitting the thrumming sensation to dissipate within her. Then, whispering a spell in Elfish, she commanded the wind to go back to its regular setting, causing the self-created uproar to suddenly die into a gentle breeze.

When their hair and clothes stopped flapping around and had adjusted back to normal, she turned around to face David; her lavender eyes filled with puzzlement and concern. "Something has happened in the woods."

Slightly panicking, he questioned her. "_How_ did you—like what? Is it _Emma_?"

Looking away, she responded, distractedly. "I have to find that out."

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you should stay with your wife and the rest of Storybrooke. You, unlike me, aren't expendable…they'll need you should something happens."

"Then _we'll_ go with you, lass," a voice called out; making them both turn towards it. "I, for one, can use a breather."

Standing by the door, Hook and Robin had been listening to the entire conversation, from the moment David had left the table to the supernatural wind display, and each found themselves intrigued with what she was talking about. Intent on a friendly confrontation, they both made their way down to the street where they received a stern sideways look from her, which, unnervingly, hesitated their movements (but not fully). "That won't be necessary."

"With all due respect, love," Hook said with a wave of his hand, taking the lead in trying to reason with her. "You don't know this area like we do, well, _him_ mainly, but I would be delighted to lend a _hand_ in any way I can. Plus, if it _does_ concern Emma," he paused, a harsh glint forming in his eyes. "There's nothing you can do to keep me away."

Meeting his gaze, she weighed his words. She didn't want to put anybody's life in danger if there _was_ something out there that she wasn't sensing, but she had this gnawing feeling that Hook would be able to help her in some way, more so than anyone else. She didn't know why exactly but she had to admit that she was curious to find out, so, after she "figured" the pros and cons in her head, Glinda answered; solemnly agreeing with him. "Alright, _you_ can come with me." She then looked over at Robin and paused thoughtfully, a memory stirring from the weapon he was holding. "Robin Hood, I presume?"

"At your service, m'lady," he politely responded, bowing slightly at the waist.

"I haven't had the pleasure of reading much about your adventures but I have skimmed through some of them…you are a brave individual." Tapping a finger against her wand, she followed up her own statement. "You are a tracker, correct?"

"On my good days, yes," he said with a half grin, trying to bring some levity to the questioning—which she practically overlooked.

"If today is a 'good day', you'll be able to lead me through and about the woods with ease?"

When he confirmed that he was capable of doing so, Glinda decided to bring him along as well. David was about to disagree when they all heard somebody cry out to them.

"Why are you all standing out here in the cold?"

As Regina approached them from her car, Henry quietly following behind her, three out of the four individuals reacted by removing certain items from view: Hook smoothly placed his appendage behind his back; David concealed his sword by rotating his belt around with a quick tug and Glinda skillfully slipped her wand into her jacket's sleeve, all the while maintaining a good grip on the handle, so it wouldn't fall back out. Robin was the one who didn't even bother hiding his crossbow since Henry was told that he was a "hunter"—and what better way to live up to that conceivable notion than to show his weapon off every once and a while?

The instant that she saw their expressions, Regina knew that she had interrupted something interesting, so, after gently instructing Henry to go into the Diner, which he surprisingly did, she questioned them.

"What happened?"

"I'm going to search the woods. I had a feeling that something occurred in there," Glinda stated, her wand suddenly out and poised in her hand again.

"Like _what_?" Regina asked, her head dropping a bit in sarcastic dubiety. _Not again_…

"That's what I have to find out. I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Hmm…then you should take somebody with you," Regina stated, unexpectedly softening her stance against her, which caught everybody else by surprise—especially David. It could be that she just wasn't in the mood to fight because of her condition, the headaches and what not, but to be honest, she ALSO had a feeling that something had happened too. It was subtle but when she woke up this morning, she had a sense that today wasn't going to be a normal day...well, _normal_ for Storybrooke anyway. _Glinda going out could be a wild goose chase but who knows? Maybe it's not..._ "As a precaution—just in case something _is_ out there."

"Killian and Robin are coming with me," she said, pointing in their direction with a tight nod, which they returned with one of their own.

"Oh yes," Regina commented, rolling her eyes. "The pirate and the…_thief_ would be a great deterrent against any beast lurking out there." She then glanced over at Robin and gave him a meaningful look before averting, unable to stand the pained expression she saw in his eyes. _He knows that I care_, she thought, reflecting upon her treatment towards him. _He knows that I care about him_…

Hook, reading between the lines, held back a snappy comment by biting the inside of his lip but, luckily, it went unnoticed because of Glinda's prompt reply. "We'll be fine. I'll be able to protect us if a need arises."

"Likewise," both Robin and Hook responded, their male egos interjecting themselves into the conversation as well as their need to either brandish or indicate to their weapons of choice, the former his crossbow and the latter his concealed pistol and blade.

"Well, before you go," Regina started, piddling with her gloved hands. "I was going to tell those who showed up at the Diner, which appears to be _everybody_," she noted after she quickly snuck a peek into the establishment, "that I put a protective shield around the main areas of Storybrooke before coming here. It's a simple but powerful type of magic since it'll be able to guard us from those who have bad intentions, but only if they're on the _outside_ of it. With that being said, I didn't include the woods because that would've taken an amount of magic that I'm not eager to lose, but don't worry. The three of you should be able to come and go as you please—so long as your intentions are good."

"That's particularly thorough," Hook observed soundly.

"That's the _Queen_ for you," Robin added, slightly bitter towards her earlier comment.

Ignoring the intentional zing, Regina cleared her throat. "Yes well, you can never be too careful in this town, especially with the 'alliance' of Zelena and this 'Ice Queen'."

"The '_Ice Queen_'…?" Hook and Robin asked in unison.

"And she won't be able to get through because of you guys being sisters?" David interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest. He wasn't too thrilled about being left behind but as long as everybody was safe and he would be doing something productive, he could deal with the arrangement.

"Of course not, Charming. I made it so that blood wasn't a factor."

Tired of what seemed to be an ongoing discussion and feeling that time was running short, Glinda shifted her gaze over to the two men and lifted her wand up, her movements professional and serious. "Let's go." In response, Robin and Hook nodded and, in a matter of seconds, they took off down the street before rounding a corner; Glinda trailing behind.

After looking on with masked expressions, David and Regina then headed inside together, where they became the main focus of the many individuals who had been waiting within. Regina was bombarded with questions the instant she had entered but, with a raised hand, she managed to quieten them down.

"Hey, where's Glinda—?" Somebody cried out from the back, only to be shushed by a few others since Henry was now in the room, but fortunately for that person, he didn't seem to have heard anything that was said. He was too busy sitting in a stool, thinking about his mom, rather than concerning himself with the strange things that kept happening in the town he was in.

"_Glen_ will be with us soon, she and a couple others are currently searching the woods" Regina stressed, shooting daggers into the crowd at the small mishap. Obviously Glinda's code-name didn't spread about like the rest of the news had but; nevertheless, she continued. "That arrangement slightly alters my plans, but we'll make it work."

"What are we going to do?" Tinkerbelle then asked with a hand on her hip.

"Where are we going to search? We've covered most of the areas here…" Leroy stated, probably saying what most of the people were thinking.

"How are we going to find my mom?" Henry suddenly said in, alerting the room to his available presence. His eyes were wide with fear and interest as the debate of his mother's whereabouts continued.

Regina could feel her heart breaking but managed to put out a calming voice. "What we've been doing, Henry. We're going to keep searching the town's grounds then—"

"AGGGHHHHHH!"

The cry was so loud and ear-splitting that it made everybody freeze.

"What the hell was that?" Regina said, immediately turning back around to open the door and peek outside. "I don't see anyone…" Standing in the entranceway, she then fully emerged from the Diner, her body completely vigilant when she made her way down to the sidewalk and then into the street.

"Regina, be careful…" David warned, his voice tense before following her outside, holding a hand out behind him to stop Henry, who had popped up from his seat. "Henry, stay where you are…"

"I got him," Granny volunteered, moving from the counter to guard the boy, taking Henry to one of the back rooms so she could properly shelter him. He went without a struggle but on the way, he looked over his shoulder, interest flickering in his eyes.

By the time Regina and David made their way outside, Mary Margaret had gotten up and pushed her way to the door. "David," she called out, her tone begging him to be cautious. He glanced back at her and gave her a reassuring smile before continuing on with his surveillance, drawing his sword from its sheath as soon as they approached to the Clock Tower; passing the Pet Shelter and the Marine Garage with relative ease. When they neared the 2nd Ave corner, right in front of the Tower, they saw the source of the loud shriek. It was a dwarf. He was lying on the ground, beside a couple of cars, his legs and arms sprawled out, but when they approached him to see if he was alright, they noticed a few others lying about the curb in a similar fashion.

"What in the world?" David questioned aloud, raising the tip of his sword in preparation.

"It had to be from one of them," Regina commented, "but they're all knocked out—" Just then, a powerful blast of energy rammed into them from behind, knocking into them with such force that they both landed in the middle of the main street, groaning in pain.

"Well, well, well," a menacing voice called out to them as they tried to recover from the surprise attack, the pair wrestling to get to their feet. "Fancy seeing you here, it's as if somebody got our little message. I knew that flinging around a few _munchkins_ would gain your attention, _sis_."

"What are _you_ doing here?" Regina growled, her eyes zooming in on Zelena as soon as she able to regain her footing. Her back was slightly hunched over as a body-racking pain began to weave itself around her spine before settling in-between her shoulder blades, creating a lingering, stinging sensation.

Clutching the dagger tightly in her right hand, she walked out, a frightening smile lighting up the bottom half of her face. "I came to see you and all of your friends, of course." Flicking the blade, she signaled a passive Gold to show himself, which he did; emerging from the same place she had been hiding—near the Garage. A grim expression crept onto his face when he was made to stand by her.

Regina looked between the two of them before speaking. "I meant _how_ did you get in here? I put up a barrier."

"Oh, that," she said with a giggle. "You should really be more specific, dear. In order for that to work, one has to be on the outside, yes? Well, I was already _in_ Storybrooke when you put it up. I found it to be a rather laughable situation when I watched its formation."

"I bet," Regina sneered as she wiped the rubble off her long-sleeved blouse and dark pants.

"DAVID!" Mary Margaret yelled when she and the majority of the people from the Diner, minus Granny and Henry, made their way over to where they were, having witnessed them rebounding back magically. She ran up to him and enveloped him from behind, her fingers wrapping around each of his biceps. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he answered, using his body to then shield her and his unborn child from potential harm when he noticed Zelena's eyes light up at her arrival.

"Rumple!" Belle cried out upon seeing him, desperately trying to reach him by pushing some people out of her way, but before she could close the gap between them, she was stopped by Leroy, who blocked her with an outstretched arm. Gold lunged forward in an effort to meet her halfway, but he too was stopped.

"Ahh, goody," Zelena remarked loudly when she saw Belle and the others, scouring her gaze over the terrified faces with pride. "Precious Snow White brought an audience. Perfect. The Lord knows how much I love putting on a show and what I have coming next, _deserves_ one; hence my _little_…" she flourished a hand behind her, indicating to the now recuperating dwarves, who were trying to crawl their way into the crowd, "_entrance_."

Brandishing his sword, David bit out his words. "_Where's_ my daughter?"

"Why do you assume that _I_ have her?" she answered, mocking his intelligence by feigning surprise. "Maybe she got tired of this poor, provincial town and left…"

"Her car, son and family are _here_, she wouldn't leave," he continued, not buying her story for a second.

"Yes, well, not everything is as it seems," she replied back, her tone low and revealing, making Mary Margaret dig her fingers into her husband with mixed emotions. She did act like she didn't want to be here, on some occasions. Like she wanted to go back to that "life" she had when she was in New York...

"Speaking about Emma, I brought you all a little gift…" Zelena interjected coolly while waving one of her hands in the air—the threatening gesture making Regina lift hers in a defensive way. "My, my, Regina," she stated, that cruel grin still lingering on her face. "Are you really that afraid of me?"

"You wish."

"Possibly…" She then continued her motion, her wrist rotating in circular motions. Suddenly, the air bubbled and crackled in front of her till a motionless body shimmered into everybody's view, the folds of magic rippling and vibrating away, to each end, till the item was fully exposed. The woman was floating a couple of feet off of the ground, coming up to Zelena's waist, with all of her limbs hanging limply in the air, while her (noticeable) blonde hair gently swayed in the magical suspension surrounding her. Everyone's eyes and mouths dropped open when they realized who the lady was.

It was Emma Swan! The crowd erupted into a feverish frenzy, pointing and crying out what they were seeing to those who couldn't in the far back. Mary Margaret and David's faces paled while Regina's breath hitched at the staggering sight but, together, none of them were able to remove their eyes from the _still_ figure that appeared to be their Emma.

"Surprise!" Zelena declared, giving them a wide, grand gesture by spreading her arms out to her sides, her elbows slightly bent. "I guess I _did_ have her after all."

Breaking away from his wife's hold, David charged at her, his sword raised high in the air with the sole purpose of attacking. "ZELENA!" he bellowed upon closing in, but before he could get close to her, he was cast away by a simple flex of her wrist. He landed by the curb, near a parked car, his sword rolling underneath it as his body thudded hard against the gravel. Mary Margaret cried out and ran over to him, one hand protecting her stomach while the other was stretched out towards him. When she got to him, she kneeled down and, with his help, tenderly got him into a sitting position where he managed to shoot daggers at the witch while, simultaneously, trying to reach beneath the vehicle to get his weapon; his sore fingers desperately scrabbling around upon the ground. At the sight of the unhinged David, most of the people retreated back a couple paces, unaware of how to stand up to the witch when the majority of them lacked a weapon of sorts—either having left them in the Diner or were unguarded to begin with—but Regina, most assuredly, held her ground.

"Enough, Zelena! Your fight is with _me_!"

"Oh, I quite agree. There definitely is no _need_ for all this hostility," she countered. "Honestly, you act as if _killing_ me would solve all of your problems and here _I_ was, I believe, considerate enough to return the body of the one person everybody here truly treasures. So much for my ideals of heroism, but given the circumstances…I could've done _worst_ things…"

Unbearable tension filled the air when their fears were just confirmed. The people gasped at the startling realization that Emma Swan _was_, in fact, _dead_.

She was _killed_ by the Wicked Witch.

"No…" Mary Margaret whispered; her breath ragged when she fully crumpled to the street floor, falling on the back of her shocked husband in tears. David blinked a couple of times before his eyes started to water; an all-consuming pain began to spread and pull at his insides, threatening to rip everything in him apart, but before he could even bow his head, an unexpected and deafening shriek echoed out, bouncing off of the surrounding buildings as well as in his ears. "GIVE HER BACK TO ME! GIVE MY DAUGHTER BACK _NOW_!"

Mary Margaret's head was back up but her face had changed. She was still crying but there was a fire now blazing deep within her eyes—she was _angry_. No one else around her said or did anything; they just watched the wretched scene play out before them, their grief consuming them as well.

Zelena paused for a moment before she granted the mother's wish, a twisted smile forming upon her lips. "But of course."

Mary Margaret stumbled to get to her feet, refusing any help from David when she moved closer to the witch, who met her halfway by magically shooing Emma's body away from her; the limp figure magically hovering into the approaching woman's direction. Unable to move, he watched as his wife bravely confronted the villain who murdered their daughter, his face unreadable as his stomach and heart churned in agony.

Gold remained silent. He was ordered not to say anything as Zelena's plan unfolded accordingly, but he tried to convey something to Belle with his eyes...unfortunately, she wasn't looking at him since she too was preoccupied with mourning over the town's savior.

"Emma, my sweet baby," Mary Margaret sobbed when her daughter's form arrived in her arms. Her hands clutched her tightly when she allowed both of them to drop to the ground, easily and without injury, so she could better hold and mourn over her. Now that she was up close to Emma, Mary Margaret noticed that she was covered in cuts and bruises, especially around her neck. There were some on her face, mainly minor scrapes and red marks, but they weren't as bad or extensive as the others.

"You're a _monster_!" Mary Margaret screamed; both hers and her daughter's body swayed from her projected force. Zelena said nothing, she just watched with interest.

With an arm supporting Emma's back, Mary Margaret wrapped her other one carefully around her head, cradling her gently so that she could lay her forehead atop her daughter's. Her tears began to spill and sink into the mass of blond hair beneath her and as the sounds of crying and grieving, from all around her, started to filter into her mind; she let out a soul churning cry. _She's dead! She's dead! The one that was taken from me is gone!_ She acknowledged to herself, everything inside of her shuddering at the thought.

"Such a touching sight," Zelena observed, flicking some of her fingers over the jeweled necklace that nobody noticed she was wearing, the pale green gem sparking to life at her silent command. With her mouth uncovered, she then whispered something to it, her voice coming out low and unintelligible, so much so that even those who _might've been_ paying attention to her, would've questioned what she had said. In that same moment, while Mary Margaret continued to lament, a raspy and shaky breath erupted into the air, loudly. Realizing that it was extremely close to her, she lifted her head and optimistically looked down at Emma, whose hazel eyes granted Mary Margaret's quiet wish when they suddenly blinked open after a series of fluttering motions. Her chest then started to move, quickly rising and falling with every breath she took so that the much needed oxygen would further pump and spread throughout her body, releasing her from the comatose state she was in.

"Oh my _God_!" Mary Margaret exclaimed; her face brightening up when she hugged Emma's warm head to her, the miraculous waking of her daughter caused her to squeal out additional sounds. Hearing the happiness in her voice, everybody's ears and eyes perked up and when they did, they began to celebrate: Emma was alive!

"Emma?!" David cried out, finally getting to his feet so he could make his way over to them. Even Regina was relieved when, she too, made her way over BUT...no one seemed to notice the amused expression deepening on Zelena's face at the spectacle.

And nobody would've been able to predict what was going to happen next.

Emma then adjusted herself into a kneeling position in front of Mary Margaret, who unlocked her hold on her so she would be able to move, their arms; however, remained intertwined at the shoulders so the former could properly balance herself in that crouched position. Mary Margaret was about to say something, her joy overflowing; when she felt a strange sensation suddenly engross her. Confused, she looked down and was shocked to find one of Emma's hands magically inside of her, fishing around in her belly where the baby was.

"Em—" was all she was able to say before Emma, unceremoniously, ripped her sibling's heart out from the womb. A weird, gurgling sound emerged from Mary Margaret's throat when an emptiness began to engulf her in a growing darkness and though her sight began to blur, she managed to catch a glimpse of her daughter's eyes.

They were vacant, blank and...detached.

She could feel her body start to fall away but she had barely stirred from her siting position when strong arms enclosed around her, warming her now chilled flesh with their own. She managed to catch glimpses of the faces that were beginning to surround her—David, Regina and Red—all of whom looked equally worried and scared as they tried to keep her conscious; Regina even grabbed her face, chanting something in a foreign language, but she barely saw her.

All she could see was her daughter's back when she promptly walked over to Zelena, her brother's small heart in her hands before she willingly gave it to the witch, who clutched it greedily.

**…**

**This was a fun chapter to write. Please comment! I want to know what you're thinking! :]**


	11. Two Appropriate Field Trips

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Hook told David and Mary Margaret his secret and they accepted his confession before everyone, including Glinda, headed over to Granny's Diner. Glinda sensed that something was wrong in the woods so she left to go check it out with Hook and Robin.**

**Zelena soon arrived with the seemingly dead body of Emma but when Mary Margaret held her, to mourn, she came back to life; however, the miraculous recovery wasn't much of a celebration.**

**I hope you like it! It's definitely a "filler" chapter :)**

**…**

**Chapter Eleven: Two Appropriate Field Trips**

**…**

**T**he lights flickered for a few minutes before everything settled back down. Apparently, there had been some kind of a power surge or electrical malfunction around the town, or at least to their immediate area, but it appeared to be over now, which was a good thing since the Diner didn't really have a backup generator —a decent one, anyway.

Tapping his fingers against his thighs impatiently, Henry waited for Granny to leave, to turn around or…_something_, so he could bail and find out what had happened outside, but luck didn't appear to be on his team right now or even in his field of vision. In the small amount of time he's been with her, in one of the back rooms, she has been keeping a _very_ close eye on him, monitoring his every move, whether they were big or small. _Well, whatever it was_, he thought bitterly; showing his discontent through timely sighs. _It must've been really interesting because it managed to get everyone's attention, leaving me, once again, left out in the cold.._.

He was so sick and tired of being pushed off on people and being lied to, like his feelings didn't count—not to mention, the annoying fact that everybody seemed to think that they knew what was best for him because of his age and, also, because he was the newbie here. Well, that was about to change. Today, he was going to do something about it. Today, he wasn't going to put up with it any more.

Today…he _will_ find out what's going on in Storybrooke.

The only thing that he needed now was the perfect opportunity to escape.

"Henry," Granny called out to him, making him jolt back in surprise. He looked over at her and scanned her face for any possible signs of suspicion, like if she had managed to read his disgruntled thoughts about being a captive or had a feeling that he was planning on leaving her high and dry—stuff like that—but when he found nothing, he visibly relaxed.

Offering her a smile to dissuade any misgivings, he answered her call. "Yes?"

"I need you to get me something. On your left, there's a large steel shelving unit and if you brush a couple of those boxes away, you'll find a tiny, beat up container. Once you see that, hand it to me, _carefully_. It should be on the second rack…"

Immediately getting up to do what she asked, thinking that it would be better to stay on her good side before ditching her, he headed over to the shelf where he instantly spotted the bent, mutilated container. Picking it up with one hand, he walked over to Granny and plopped it down into her already stretched out palm, the two making a small thumping sound when they connected.

"Thanks, dear," she muttered before tossing the top flap open, revealing the inner contents, which happened to be, approximately, sixty huge rifle bullets—Henry tried to hide his surprise by blinking his eyes rapidly.

"You keep your bullets in _this_?"

"Yes," she responded truthfully, looking at him for a split second before turning around to load her weapon, which she had placed behind her on another counter. Grabbing it as soon as she saw it, she continued. "It's both a conspicuous and unexpected place to store them in, more so than concealing some arrows—for my crossbow. There aren't many people out here who would be fixing to find some ammo in a storage room…"

"In New York, they would," he slightly argued, moving his eyes to both the unprotected door and her back, carefully planning his escape. _If I can distract her by talking…I can possibly make a break for it_… "In fact, I think that this is the only place that thinks that the _usual_ is the _unusual_…" —_I don't know if that made any sense but let's see if that works_…

Pausing in her movements, she dropped her hands and leaned her head back, as if she was actually thinking about what he had said. She was still facing away from him but, judging from her body language; Henry got the feeling that she was going to look at him sometime soon, so he hurriedly took a couple steps towards the door, waiting for her answer.

"You're probably right, Henry," she finally replied, looking back down so she could resume her work—the boy breathed out a sigh of relief at her action. "This place is pretty different when it comes to the rest of the world and that's because we follow a _strict_ sense of tradition—"

Henry inched towards the door, still eyeing her carefully.

"—but we do have a good reason—"

Henry then side-hopped to his left, happily narrowing his target down to a couple of feet...

"—it's a long story but I'm sure your mother will—"

He closed in by tip-toeing to and beyond the frame of the entrance where he then put further distance between them by walking backwards.

The more he moved away, the close to a whisper her voice became; however, he did manage to hear bits and pieces of what seemed to be a long speech—one that he was glad to be missing out on. Something about: "protecting him", "the whole town appreciating what Emma has been doing for them" and how "things have become so complicated"—whatever _any_ of that meant, but he must admit that those words made him even more suspicious and curious as to what they were keeping from him; in _general_ and right _now_.

But today, he was going to find all of that out.

Then, without looking back, he turned around and bolted; running down the short connecting hallway of the storages before reaching the front door of the Diner, but when he entered from behind the counter, he noticed that there wasn't a soul in sight. The room was completely empty. Shaking his head to concentrate on what he ultimately wanted to see, he lunged towards the already opened door and took a step out into the chilly air. Rubbing his hands together, he was about to further himself from the establishment when a booming voice echoed from behind him, making him scrunch up in fear.

"HENRY?!"

"Crap," he whispered, looking over a shoulder to take a peek inside the room. He immediately saw the angry form of Granny, who, scarily enough was holding her riffle as she made her way over to him, taking long, purposeful strides.

"Get back _inside_, right _now_!" she cried, attempting to keep the fear from coloring her commanding voice as she neared him. She didn't want to be the person who let Henry uncover the truth before it was time, especially with the new and intricate situation that was surrounding his mother's disappearance. She called out to him again but knew that he wasn't going to listen to her which, sure enough, happened seconds later when he decided to dart forward; heading down the street that would lead him straight towards the Clock Tower.

Leaving the door wide open, she took after him. The gun was securely fixed in both of her hands, her left held the barrel while her right firmly grasped the stock, so that she would be able to put her entire focus onto the young boy's figure ahead. Picking up speed, she slowly, but surely caught up to him—_thank the Lord that this isn't my first chase_, she thought when the blood started to rush through her veins, making her face flush a pinkish color.

"I mean it, Henry! You come back here!"

He didn't stop nor did he shout out a reply, he just looked over his shoulder to see how close or far behind him she was, but, unfortunately for him, when he did so, he unexpectedly bumped into somebody or something; propelling him back and down onto his rear with a degree of force. Reeling from the unforeseeable attack, he shook his head and looked up. His brows furrowed together when he saw a magnitude of people standing before him, the majority of which, though, had their backs to him—minus the _person_ he had accidentally collided into.

The man turned around and gave him a wide-eyed expression before reaching a hand out to help him up. "Umm, you shouldn't be here…"

Accepting the voluntary assist, Henry used the guy's limb, as leverage, to pull himself up to his feet. Wiping away the small pebbles and dust from his jacket and pants, Henry defended his actions. "Yes, I _do_. If it has something to do with my mom, I want to know what it is!"

"Umm," the man paused, looking behind himself, over the crowds of people, before addressing Henry again. "This has _nothing_ to do with her, with _Emma_, so…"

"Then, why are you guys out here, standing around?"

"That's a difficult question to answer…"

"If it has nothing to do with my mom then shouldn't you all be doing something more productive?"

A bead of sweat glided from his hairline down to the side of his face in untold nervousness. "…You have a good point but you should still go back to the Diner, so you'll be…safe."

"Not till I see what's going on."

Shaking his head, he shifted his gaze, momentarily, to look behind Henry and happened to see the one person who was charged with protecting him. Then, without any hesitation, he clamped both of his hands down onto the boy's shoulders and pushed him backwards, forcing him to walk away from the scene in a couple of steps. "_You_ said that you were going to _look_ after him," he stated loudly to the enclosing Granny, who had shuffled her rifle over so that she could get ahold of Henry's right arm with her own.

"I was doing just that, Tom Clark, but he managed to get away from me," she responded with a scolding look to Henry. "But it won't happen again. C'mon lad…" Tugging him from the man's grip, she tried to escort him back to the Diner, but he, of course, struggled.

"No! I don't want to! Let me go!"

"I volunteered to look after you and _look after_ you I shall!"

Henry opened his mouth to say something but before he could, he was interrupted by a sharp cry.

"EMMA, _STOP_!"

Tom and Granny instantly froze, the former even turned back around to see what had happened, while Henry's expression changed from annoyance to optimism at the mention of his mom's name.

"I don't like the sound of that," Granny began when she, once again, tried to drag Henry away from the crowd and then—as if inspired by her foreboding choice of words—a loud, hurtling blast exploded somewhere in front of them; the thundering rapture of it was enough to cause immediate alarm and panic…which was exactly what happened next.

Chaos erupted on the main street. More than half of the people that were in front of the three individuals, from what they could see, turned around and ran past them at a high velocity, their faces filled with unbridled terror.

Tom looked at Granny, his voice instructive. "You need to take him back _now_...this situation is both bad and…really _bizarre_…" He looked around before leaning in, on her right, so that only she could hear him. "It's _Emma_, she's not herself and—"

Before he could finish, another blast was heard but this one was more potent than the last. It rocked the ground beneath them and caused the building's doors and windows to tremble in small waves, causing perceptible and resonating vibrations to pulse through their bodies at the sheer force.

Wanting to see what the commotion was all about, Henry brushed her hand off and managed to weave through the fleeing disorder of screaming and hysterical people, who were obviously trying to get away from something, but when a pathway cleared directly in front of him, granting him a decent view of what they were all running away from, he stopped in his tracks; pure shock taking form in his young features.

"HENRY?!"

He heard Granny's cry but it went in one ear and out the other because of the sight before him. He could feel his mouth drop open a little bit, releasing the breath that didn't know he was holding…

He didn't understand or know what he was looking at…it was too-too much, too _confusing_, but when he found it within himself to say something, only one word fell out—one of meaning and vibrant uncertainty.

"_Mom_…?!"

**…**

**W**hen they had successfully made their way into the woods from the streets of Storybrooke, Glinda and the boys slowed their running down to a brisk walk so they could easily duck about the many trees and branches that blocked their path. When they delved deeper into the forest, they were quiet, all three swallowed up by their own silent conflictions and/or opinions: Glinda was concentrating on what possibly could be hidden in the woods; Hook was mentally preparing some questions to ask her; while Robin was more interested in knowing what they were _looking_ for and _where_ she needed to go—he was just too tentative and gentleman-like to interrupt the witch's thoughts.

Swerving her head around to scan the large area before her, Glinda tried to narrow in on her flaring senses but the longer she paid attention to them, the more fluctuated they became. Weaker, stronger, stronger, weaker—it was as if they were being weighed on only one side of a workable scale. _It's this realm_, she mused to herself. _If only I can get a handle on the lack of magical properties it possesses…_

Letting out a vexing sigh, she stopped walking and clutched her wand firmly, consciously taking her failure out onto her own property. The sound of her _not_ moving prompted the other two to look behind them in curiosity and, after judging from the look on her face, they walked back towards her in concern.

"Did you find something, lass?" Hook questioned, gesturing to her with his hook appendage, slightly causing his satchel to tap against his thigh in the sudden movement.

"Not yet," she stated plainly, her eyes were downcast and focusing on the mossy floor of the forest, intensely. She looked upset but Hook couldn't worry about that now. She said that something had happened in here and it was up to them—technically, _her_ to find it—IF (and that was a big assumption) what she had said was factual.

Clearing his throat, Robin tapped an impatient finger on the side of his crossbow; figuring that now was a good time as any to finally ask one of his burning questions. "Where exactly do we have to go?"

Shaking her head, she answered him, though her attention was elsewhere. "I'm not sure. I can't seem to concentrate…"

"Well, isn't that fantastic," Hook muttered, wiping his forehead several times before grabbing his belt, his fingers latching onto it as if it was a security line. His facial expression was grave when he eyed her. "By that logic, it makes me doubt that anything has happened in here at all."

With annoyed eyes, Glinda then gave the surly pirate a look. "May I remind you that you volunteered to come with _me_? If you wish to discontinue," she paused, leaning forward a bit. "You are welcomed to leave _or_ start a search of your own. I'm sure that the others would be more than appreciative of whatever effort you decide to take upon yourself."

In reaction to her biting tone, Hook whistled and raised his brows in semi-amusement and astonishment. "It appears that the '_Good Witch of the South_' has claws."

Tilting her head back, she decided to analyze him, which immediately yielded results when she found herself reading between the lines—his body language was severely tense in the shoulders and around the mouth, appearing as if he was intentionally trying to provoke her…but for what cause? Raising her wand up and flicking it in his direction, harmlessly, she abruptly asked him a question; one that would successfully turn the tables back onto _him_. "What is it that's really on your mind, Killian? You seem stressed."

Shifting his eyes to the side before narrowing them, he explained. "Well, for starters, how do _you_ know my name? I never introduced myself _as_ such to you _or_ as 'Captain Hook', for that matter _and_…I don't remember having the pleasure of meeting you before because believe me," he trailed off, pointing a jerky finger at himself then at her. "I would recall someone like you."

Considering him for a second, she didn't answer. She just looked at him, her lavender eyes meeting his blue ones in a nonverbal standoff, but when her silence became unbearable, Hook continued; his signature charismatic smile now plastered onto his face in an obvious effort to charm her into responding. "You told me that you would explain a 'fraction' of what had happened in that meeting, to me, later and time has passed now, lass. I think were overdue for some explanations."

_Aha_, she thought while, simultaneously, clicking her tongue and crossing her arms. "So, not only did you come with me to 'assist' but you thought that _now_ would be the perfect moment to glean some information?"

"Aye," he uttered in a solemn tone, despite his cheerful expression.

She opened her mouth to say something else but stopped when a spine-tingling alarm went off in her head, yanking her attention away from the irritable man in front of her to a specific area in the forest. Taking a step back to position her body into the direction her senses were blazing the strongest in, she visibly roamed over the trees and bushes before suddenly moving forward, deliberately leaving the two men behind in order to follow her mind's invisible track.

"_Oye_!" Hook cried, gesturing his arms out to his sides, incredulously. "I was bloody talking to you, lass!"

Still able to hear from her growing distance, she called back over her shoulder. "I can multitask. Follow me! I just felt something!"

Exchanging looks, the men shrugged their shoulders before catching up to her, each standing to an opposite side of when they did, their postures hunched with determination. They walked for two minutes, in silence, before an unsatisfied Hook carried on with what he was talking about earlier—he wasn't one to easily let his reservations die.

"...I'm not a patient man, girlie…" he stressed, without looking at her, resting his good hand in-between the locations of his blade and his satchel.

"_Hook_," Robin stated in a warning tone, "just let it go."

"I knew your name and other facts about you due to an ancient tool," she suddenly and readily interjected, also concentrating on the things around her instead of making eye contact. "In Oz, I'm known as the Scroll Keeper and that allows me to guard over a prevailing object that is able to record the past, present and perceivable future." As she talked, her wand glistened in her controlling hand; primed and ready should she have need of it in the following minutes.

"I gather that's how you also knew about my adventures?" Robin asked, raising his crossbow up in preparation, his finger gently touching the trigger.

"Yes. That's how I know a lot of things…such as _your_ fears of being rejected by the ones you care about as well as the secret confession you wished to reveal _and_, eventually, did," she indicated to Hook with a telling nod, who responded by giving her a stunned expression. "Not to mention you're relationship status with Regina," she continued smoothly, glancing over at Robin before, once again, looking in front of her.

"Umm," Robin said in surprise, coming out of his attack position with wide eyes. "What else do you know?"

"I know many things but certainly not _everything_," Glinda said with a reassuring smile. "I'm not a seer so I can't foretell events without the help of the Scroll—the ancient tool I had mentioned."

"Wow," Robin and Hook both whispered; the former said his more in amazement while the latter averted his eyes to the ground with mixed emotions.

"Yes, well," she began. "I had to update myself, in the recent days, with the important and general information because of, uh…certain circumstances…"

Looking back up with raised brows, Hook took interest in her statement. "What 'circumstances'?"

Stopping only a moment to look at him, she softly answered, with a sideways glance. "I was banished by Zelena into a one-way realm within a section of the Enchanted Forest. I just recently got out after spending a decade in considerable darkness. When I did, I came here, after traveling to Oz…"

"Your homeland wasn't to your liking?" Hook inquired, trying to get the whole story.

"At the present," she began, slowing her pace down and pulling her eyes away from him so that she could be more vigilant in her surroundings. "No, it's not. That's one of the things I need to change…"

"With Emma's help, I presume?"

"You're very perceptive, Mr. Jones," she complimented with a small smile. She didn't know if she would be able to tell him everything he desired in the small window of opportunity they had left, but she figured that she could, at least, tell him some of the relevant details. "Yes, I need the savior's help but my woes can wait. We have to concentrate all our efforts into finding her and making sure that she's –"

The unexpected pause caused both of the men to glance over at her in concern. Her eyes were wide in puzzlement and her face had slightly paled from whatever thought or sense she had just had.

"_Glinda_," Hook stated, taking a step closer to her. "Lass?"

"Something just happened," she acknowledged in a whisper, her lavender eyes lit up with dread. "We're too late, something has already happened in Storybrooke…"

**…**

**Please review!**


	12. The New Emma

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Henry saw something shocking after he escaped Granny while Glinda, Robin and Hook are still trying to find something in the forest—tensions are high.**

**Please enjoy!**

**…**

**Chapter Twelve: The New Emma**

**…**

"**W**hat have you _done_ to her?! What have you done to _Emma_?!" David bellowed, glaring at Zelena while, also, desperately clutching his wife's body to him. He then moved his gaze over to his daughter, whose back he could only see, and instantly, he felt his heart shatter. He knew that she wasn't really behind this because it wasn't in her nature to harm anything, but he couldn't get the image of her forcefully removing her brother's heart, from Mary Margaret's womb, out of his head. As he continued to look at her, his stomach rolled at the thought of losing BOTH his children—it seemed like his greatest fear was coming true, just not how he had originally pictured it. _Emma_, he thought, begging her to answer him. _What happened to you_?

Zelena, who was still smiling, said nothing. She just accepted the heart that Emma had mechanically handed over to her, domineeringly wrapping her long fingers around the small, beating organ before returning her gaze to them; reveling in their sorrow.

"Mary Margaret?!" Regina shouted fearfully, still holding onto the young woman's ashen face. There were literally NO words to describe what she had just seen, but if she had to, they would be: unimaginable _and_ unexpected. There was no way that Emma would've done that on her own volition and as soon as she got this matter straightened out, she would confront her sister, once and for all.

"What's wrong with her?" Red questioned, tears brimming her eyes as she continued to hold her friend's limp body up from the left side. "What's just happened? Emma, she-she—"

"Is she okay?!" a person cried out.

"Did Emma just—?" another questioned.

"Her _own_ daughter just killed her!" one shouted out in shock, unintentionally spreading false claims to those who didn't see anything.

"Calm _down_," Regina instructed without even looking at them. "She'll be fine. I'm going to make sure of that." At her command, they all settled into a tense silence; _waiting_, hoping and praying that their Snow White was indeed okay.

Regina called out her name again but, this time, enunciated each word; trying to pull her out of the grip of unconsciousness before it was too late. When her efforts produced ineffectual results, she began to chant in Elfish, calling upon the ancient ways of persuasion and influence to bring Mary Margaret out of the instability she was in, but when she was barely beginning to establish a rhythmic baseline, the young woman's eyes fluttered shut; her dark eyelashes contrasting against her unhealthy, pale skin. Frantic, Regina began to recite the spell at a faster pace, her finger tips producing a purplish hue as her powers flowed out of them and seeped into Mary Margaret's pale flesh.

Closing her eyes to the mourning voices around her, she poured all of her energy into making sure that both mother and child wouldn't die. She had never witnessed a heart being removed from a pregnant woman so she didn't exactly know what to expect but, obviously, it had to be different from the normal practice of using and controlling adults. The thing that concerned and confused her the most was that _this_ baby was going to be a product of true love; therefore, making it _impossible_ for extraction…so…_how_ could anyone—_including_ Emma—able to do so with little to no trouble?

She was then pulled from her thoughts when a shuddering gasp emerged from Mary Margaret's mouth, one that had originated from deep within her being, causing an optimistic smile to appear on Regina's lips. That was a good sign, a very good sign. It showed that she was about to regain and, hopefully, sustain consciousness, but when the seconds turned into minutes and she _still_ didn't wake up…her positive attitude began to dwindle. Puzzled, Regina moved her hands up to her temples and, through a rubbing motion, released a spiraling stream of purple smoke that billowed and caressed the flesh beneath it. Sensing a likeness between what Mary Margaret was now under and a _previous_ enchantment, she looked up at David; an idea forming in her head.

He appeared lifeless—as if he had lost everything he had worked hard for in one fell swoop. Cradling his wife from behind, he wordlessly sat there with his arms wrapped around her and his head lying directly on top of hers; an emotional and soulful look in his eyes. He was definitely in a profound state of shock, which was completely understandable, but if she was to awaken Mary Margaret, she needed his cooperation.

She had a feeling that he may be able to help her.

Still looking at him, she spoke gently. "David, I need you to do something for me…"

Surprised to hear his name, he lifted his head up and looked over at Regina in astonishment. Voice cracking, he whispered out his answer. "What?"

"I need you to kiss her."

"Are you serious?" he asked, his eyes now wide. "Why?"

"It seems that she has fallen into a sleep-like trance, much like the spell I had put on her many years ago. You were able to break it with a kiss, _true love's_ kiss…"

Before he realized her meaning, he furrowed his brows in contemplation. "So, she's _alive_?"

"Yes, but not for long…We have to hurry. I've never dealt with it in this form before."

Immediately heeding her words, he shifted his body, so that she was comfortably leaning into him, before he brought his lips down to hers; their noses touching each other's in affection. Instantly, he felt a response. Her eyes trembled before she returned the kiss; firmly pressing her mouth against his.

He gave her a quick peck before elevating his head, wanting desperately to believe that she was in fact alive. Looking down, he noticed her half-lidded expression as well as the vague, but aware, smile she wore on her face, automatically prompting him to return it. Then, as if on cue, her eyes flashed. Her memory stirred and began to recall the events that had led up to her unconsciousness. Still looking at her, he felt her let out a shaky, shallow breath.

"David?" she asked slowly, her eyes tinted with concern. "Please tell me that what just happened was a dream, an awful dream…" Placing a hand onto her stomach in disbelief, tears began to coat her lashes. Swallowing hard, she closed her eyes and begged. "Please…please…"

"Mary Margaret," he simply stated, giving her an unhappy smile, silently telling her what she didn't want to hear. She just shook her head in denial and let out an excruciating moan that swept the area in her despair, gaining the attention of all those who were still there. The crowd looked on in mixed emotions, varying from sadness to relief—content only in the fact that she was (outwardly) okay.

"_Oh_, I'm afraid that it was all _quite_ real," Zelena suddenly interjected, reminding them of her presence with the sound of her voice. She had patiently waited for them to stop scrambling about but in that time, she couldn't help but to think about all of the wonderful things she planned on doing to them when the curse was a thing in the past; however, before any of that could happen, she intended on having a little bit of fun—well, somewhat. There was still the matter of the shield Regina had placed up around the town in a wasted effort to protect them, but who's to say that she couldn't mix her business with some much needed and required pleasure? She still had enough time before she had to add the baby's heart to the chalice and, now that their precious princess was awake, she could begin with the festivities.

"That was some quick thinking on your part, sis. Figuring and deducing that her Prince Charming would need to kiss her in order to bring her back to the world of the living. I might've underestimated you in your abilities…oh, wait, never-mind," she said, waving the hand that was holding the baby's heart up in a grand gesture. "You're _still_ no match for me."

Everybody looked at her, giving her an array of expressions, but her _favorite_ ones belonged to those who were categorized as Emma's close friends and family. So, for her own sick, sadistic pleasure, she then ordered her precious commodity to face them via a few choice words, which she did immediately. Standing at an even level with Zelena, Emma did as she was told in a relaxed manner but her eyes and the collection of bruises she wore on her skin greatly contradicted her laid-back behavior. Vacant and unyielding, she stared out at them, eliciting several gasping sounds from the crowd due to her apparent coldness. Zelena's grin only expanded at their conduct, completely enjoying the attention they both were receiving.

Getting up so she could block David and Mary Margaret from any possible attack, Regina faced Zelena. Her eyes briefly flitted over to Emma, automatically noticing her strange facial expression. "What have you done? Is she under some type of control spell?"

"I thought you would _never_ ask," she responded in a dramatic tone before correcting her. "No, she's not under that type of influence. It's something more…_simple_ than that. I not only made her better, more efficient and reliable, I…" she trailed off, thinking about the many things she could say about Emma's new condition. "…I made her _heartless_…" Giggling, she tapped the heart she was still holding in one hand; alluding to the double meaning that she hadn't shared yet.

"That's not answering my question," Regina said, taking a step towards her. "_What_ did _you_ do?"

"Touchy," Zelena replied, still laughing. "Alright, I'll level with you, baby sister, but first," she paused, raising the hand that was holding Rumple's dagger up to her chest so she could, carefully, lay it down over her heart in a false promotion of sincerity. "I would like to apologize to Snow White for tricking her. It was harsh and most likely traumatic for her, but _Emma_ was, unfortunately, the only way I could get to the baby's heart without wasting my time or dealing with any useless defense tactics. Your daughter was _literally_ the best option I had…" Twisting away, for only a moment, she grabbed something from the back section of her modest belt and quickly untied it, pulling the draw strings apart in order to reveal the inside flap. It was a tannish satchel-like purse and as soon as she opened it, she swiftly tucked the baby's heart into it before reattaching it to her belt, a fulfilling look on her face.

Bending around Regina so he could look at his daughter, David tried to reason with her out loud; to get _through_ to her. "Emma? Emma, sweetheart, it's me, _dad_."

"Yes, well…" Zelena (once again) interjected, positioning her head in a way to better see her pupil. "Only slightly…she's only a _fraction_ of the person you knew."

Upon looking back at the mob of people and noting their irritated and perplexed facial expressions, she decided to elaborate further. "The fact of the matter is that this dear, sweet, heroic girl graciously donated her heart to my services, meaning that she no longer has any control over her own actions. She's completely at my mercy…and, not to dwell on the negative, but wasn't that nice of her? I would hardly believe it myself if I were in your shoes but it _did_ happened. Then again, I did _threaten_ everybody she cared about if she didn't, particularly her son, who," she stopped, peering about to see if she could spot the boy. "I don't see at the moment…pity."

Regina narrowed her eyes, menacingly at the reference of Henry. "I will kill you."

"I've heard that so many times that I don't believe that it's possible anymore," she responded with an indifferent tilt of the head. "But even if you _would_ be able to, you won't be doing it anytime soon. Emma, here, will protect me. No _matter_ what…"

Amid the stunned reactions, Mary Margaret shook her head, from her location, in skepticism. "No, she wouldn't do that. I don't believe you."

"You shall see soon enough, _mum_," her tone was spirited and annoyingly playful. Moving closer, so that she would be standing directly beside her, Zelena reached forward and grabbed Emma's face, lightly shaking it to establish her dominance, which worked. Emma didn't lift a finger or do anything to thwart her. She just stood there and took what was being done to her. "See? _Look_ at her. She's thoroughly under my control and that's not likely to change anytime soon."

"Stop it!" David cried out in anger, almost abandoning his spot behind his wife in order to attack the witch again.

"Aw," Zelena mocked, dropping her hand from Emma's face with a dark smile. "There's that fatherly _charm_ I've heard so much about. I can see why you're wife finds you so attractive, but…anyway," she continued, walking to a position that put her in-between both of her captives. "As I was saying, she's _mine_ and it's all because of me owning her heart."

Shaking her head again, a fire blazed in Mary Margaret's eyes as tried to stand up on her weakened limbs. "That's impossible. You wouldn't be able to take her heart. She's a product of—"

"I didn't say that I _personally_ took it, I said earlier that she '_donated'_ it to me. She simply reached into herself and pulled it out." Zelena demonstrated her words by tapping her chest with a few fingers. "And by doing so, she unknowingly gave me the green light, as the phrase goes, to issue my authority over her entire being. For you see, whoever owns a product of true love, owns the product _itself_; hence her behavior. That's why it's imperative for them to keep it inside at all times because once it's out…they're terribly exposed since it was never meant for removal in the first place."

Taking a moment to glance over at Rumple, who had an unreadable expression on his face, she then added, slightly paraphrasing his iconic saying. "After all, magic always comes with a price."

"So, you tricked her," Regina breathed, dumbfounded by what she was hearing.

"Yes, I did," she instantly replied. "You're not _surprised_ are you? I mean, after everything I've done, this is honestly the next logical step. Oh and by the way, sis…" she stopped, observing Regina in cruel interest. "You look terrible, very _peaky_…as if there's a _hole_ where your heart should be."

"I have _you_ to thank for that," she snapped back, still glaring at her.

"Mmm, you could at least try to look your best, dear. Sadly, appearances are highly thought of in many worlds, but they can also serve as vital survival tactics if you're precise in your wishes."

"Me? You're not one to talk about beauty tips, what with you really being _green_ and all…"

Zelena laughed boisterously, appearing unbothered by Regina's scornful comment. She just tossed her head back and released all her feelings into a long, drawn out snicker before settling down and speaking again, her voice vibrating in good humor. "I try to think of it now as my personal stamp on the world. My uniqueness and individuality is what sets me apart from the despicable people of this place, so, what better way to enjoy myself than to embrace what others fear?"

"Glad to hear it," Regina responded sarcastically, biting out each syllable. "But what does this sudden acceptance of your looks have anything to do with controlling Emma?"

"Oh, that's a more complicated thing to explain, I'm afraid, but you all should know your fate before the time comes. That'll make it more entertaining for me, I think." Taking a step closer, she maintained her cheerful disposition. "To fulfil the material portion of the potion, I required the '_heart of a_ _newborn'_ and the '_blood of the most_ _powerful_ _love'_ in order to make it. These particulars have the astounding ability to recreate a realm, or more, into the image of the possessor's, in other words, _my_ image. And, when that happens, you all will surrender your free, miserable wills to me..."

"No," someone in the crowd stated, horrendously.

"Not again…" another one cried in annoyance.

Ignoring the random gasps and exclamations that were going off all around her, Regina thought it best to ask the important question. "I don't suppose you're going to tell us _where_ you're keeping her heart?"

"That wouldn't be much fun would it?" her sister responded with a wink. "Just take the satisfaction in knowing that it's someplace safe." Mary Margaret and David were about to say something when she silenced them with a raised finger, a dubious expression on her face. "It's a funny thing really. I don't think that you're aware of how sensitive one can be without their heart inside of them…" she then roamed her gaze over the collective mass of people before her eyes latched themselves onto Regina, as if relating her words to her sister. "Even though it's not inside of you, you can still cause a great amount of damage to the location, physically and emotionally. And because of that tidbit, if you aren't weary of your surroundings…it could result in an instantaneous death…"

Everybody was eerily quiet when they filtered her chilling words. No one, honestly, knew what they could do to help Emma—the news was just too overwhelming and unexpected for them to come up with a plan or an idea on the spot, plus, even if they could...they wouldn't know where to start.

"…The '_heart_ of a newborn' and '_blood of the most_'—" David suddenly said, connecting the disturbing dots. "My daughter _and_ my son…you're going to be using…"

"Very good, you caught on," Zelena replied. "Fortunately for me, allowances were able to be made since your baby isn't exactly a newborn. I love when corrections and/or improvisations can be added to things, just in case little details, like that one, exist. Oh," she changed the subject a bit, a wicked look now on her face, "…and congratulations on having a boy."

"…Are you telling me," Mary Margaret said, overlooking Zelena's words as a mixture of horror and anger flared up in her voice. She had finally managed to sit up, by herself, and she was in no laughing or playing mood. "That you're using my _children_ as _ingredients_ in a potion?!"

"Also correct," she responded, very matter-of-factly.

"Why you, you evil, _vindictive_—"

"Why, thank you," she interjected, robbing Mary Margaret the chance to speak her mind. "Those are necessary elements in survival as well, dear, though not as strong as looks or grace. Believe me, I would know better than most. Well, _we_ would know…" she indicated to both Rumple and Regina with a quick finger wave.

"I'm nothing like you," Regina spat out, shaking her head in mounting rage. _Okay_, she thought to herself, _there are similarities between us but THIS, this was ridiculous_. There was no way that she would've found it within herself to come up with this scheme and NOT because she wasn't _evil_ enough or didn't have enough gumption. It was just that she wouldn't have been able to live with the guilt of taking a child's heart out, whether within its mother or in general. _I guess that could be my one flaw, where hearts are concerned_…

Cutting through her thoughts, Zelena spoke. "Oh, please. You can tell any lie you want or spin a web as large as you think is necessary to carry out that little delusion of yours, but you know that it's true. That's probably the only thing that you and I can fully relate to."

"What you think you know about _me_," Regain started, her tone menacing, "are your own personal assumptions because if you really did know who I am, you would've known better than to attack _my_ town or anything that's mine without expecting me to fight back."

"I'm counting on it," was all she said, immediately stepping on Regina's nerves.

When the area fell silent, again, for at least a minute, Zelena picked up where she left off, sighing impatiently. "Well, are there any more questions? If not, I would very much like to go straight to my planned activities."

"Which are?" Leroy called out, his voice gruff.

"To be honest, I have two ideas," Zelena announced, counting her fingers after she listed them; sharing the debated feelings she thought about earlier. "Either I could leave to get things under way _or_ I could have a little… _fun_, which is the one I'm personally leaning towards and have been for a while…"

"You're not leaving," David declared, shaking in a fit of rage before pointing a finger at her. "You're not going anywhere till I get my children back."

"Well, on that note," Zelena began, clapping her hands together in anticipation. "I guess, by your _own_ words, it'll be the second option, which means that a _change_ is in order." Spreading her arms out, she gestured to the two people beside her, indicating that she was talking about them. "I do prefer my people to look their finest when the end of the world is about to happen."

So, with her free hand, she snapped her fingers, which caused a fog of heavy green smoke to appear and gather around the feet of Rumple and Emma. It then traveled upwards, swirling around their bodies till it concealed them from everybody else's view, clouding them in mystery as Zelena's magic transformed and shaped them into whatever she wanted them to look like. It lasted for only a couple of seconds and when it fully dissipated, its motions working at a downward pace, it revealed the meaning of her words.

She had _literally_ changed their outfits. Rumple's dusty and pin-striped suit had morphed into an ensemble reminiscent of the clothes he had worn back in the olden days of the Enchanted Forest: his customary dark, black leather vest and pants (not to mention his high calf boots) with a long-sleeved, burgundy undershirt that peeped through around the collar before fully presenting itself down his arms, stopping at his wrists in a bunch of traditional ruffles. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, he said nothing; he just continued to look at the people before him with a mixture of emotions.

Emma, on the other hand, was dressed in a more form-fitting, warrior's apparel. Her boots, jeans and long-sleeved shirt had melted away into a sleek, one-piece body armor that covered her at every angle, from her mid-neck down to her wrists and ankles; the latter of the three completely invisible because of the dark, low-heeled calf boots she was now sporting, which happened to have two golden "W's" sewn in on each side—obviously representing Zelena's infamous title and moniker. The suit itself was a unique design of durable steel and was fashioned in equally distributed black and green hues; however, the former was more prevalent in the collar, waistline and hip area—but did nothing to either enhance or undermine the glistening metallic stripes, which brightly shone in the sunlight. Adorned further with medium sized leathery gloves and a long ebony cloak that fastened to her, on each shoulder, with pins—the length of which would never go pass her arms because of how they were attached—she looked like a fearsome Ozian soldier, bent on serving and safeguarding her mistress.

The only thing that pulled focus away from her new uniform was the gemmed necklace she wore, unseen till now because of a concealment spell, but there it was, glowing its pale green color against her iron chest plate.

"Much better," Zelena declared upon seeing her company in what she personally thought of as "proper attire". Shrugging her shoulders at the shocked expressions she was receiving, she spoke clearly. "Since I _am_ the Queen of Oz, I do believe that the colors factor in quite nicely. They're very symbolic towards the _true_ character of my homeland." Looking over Emma's marks and bruises, she paused briefly in consideration. "The only thing that now needs fixing is your skin, dear. I give you permission to _heal_ yourself…"

"She can't heal herself," Regina interrupted, growing weary of Zelena's dramatics. "She doesn't know how and besides, if she is now on your side, as you claim, she won't be able to. Only those with—"

"_'Pure souls, hearts and minds_' can? Well, we both know that she isn't an ordinary individual. Plus, with me," she addressed her sister, derisively, "she's done it before." Dismissing Regina's wide eyes, Zelena turned her interest back onto her pupil so she could repeat her order.

Eyeing her for a moment, Emma then obeyed her command. Gracefully lifting a clothed hand up, she found it within herself to summon a shadowy tuft of black light to the tips of her index finger; the energy pooling around it till she gestured the same hand about her face and neck. Guiding her powers, she allowed the wisp to float over to her visible injuries, which covered them in a shady tint before shimmering deep within her skin; its primary intent to repair the extensive damage. After radiating a healthy amber color, her magic then disappeared but left her unscathed and intact.

"That's impossible," Regina commented in awe, her brows furrowing together because of the display.

"Apparently, not anymore," her sister said in delight.

Less flabbergasted than the majority of the people, Mary Margaret found the energy to stand by laying a hand onto her husband's shoulder and pushing down, gently applying the needed pressure to get up. Regulating her breathing, she straightened, to the best of her ability, and wobbled her way next to Regina, who steadied her by grabbing ahold of her wrist.

"Emma," she said weakly, regarding her daughter with watery eyes. "Emma…"

"Aww, did you hear that, Emma? Your mother misses you. How sweet and dutiful—welcoming qualities to have in a parent. So," she paused, giving the woman beside her a suggestive look. "Don't be rude, dear. I want you to show her your appreciation…" Following up her statement with a hurried whisper, she talked directly into her necklace. "Give a warning shot…I don't want the baby to die before I can complete the potion."

Acknowledging the already practiced and coached words, Emma suddenly shot an arm out, releasing two blackish beams of hot energy at her parents, particularly her mother, whose face and body were paralyzed in fear. Using her fast reflexes, Regina tugged Mary Margaret behind her before raising her hands up in front of her, effectively managing to divert both of the blasts by shooing one into a car and the other back into the path it came from—essentially, counterattacking. Redirecting it so that its focus changed from Emma to Zelena, she first gained control of it and then hurled it at her sister with tremendous force; so much so that a trail blazed behind it, but when it got close enough to do some actual damage, Emma suddenly lurched forward to block the witch; her movements exceedingly trained and stealthy.

Snapping her head up in awareness, Emma then raised her hands to create a huge protective barrier, which caused pools of stemming light to surround her gloved hands and fingers; signaling her magical level to those watching. Moments later, the ball struck it at a high powered speed, which caused it to rupture and fade away into nothingness, as if it was never there in the first place.

"Shit," Regina swore, preparing herself by lowering into a defensive stance before loudly yelling to the people behind her. "Give me some room!"

They did as they were told by shuffling back a few steps, horribly fascinated by what was happening in front of them. Most knew that they should leave or flee the site before it got really dangerous, but they seemed to be spellbound by what could possibly be termed: "the fight of the century".

"See I told you. Emma…Stand down," Zelena then commanded, putting a hand onto her shoulder so she could, lightly, push her off to the side. Removing the shield with a wave of her hand, Emma obeyed before clasping her fingers behind her back. Her eyes were still blank but there seemed to be a sort of liveliness beginning to surround them, giving her a strange and ominous appearance by contorting her features.

Turning to her right, Zelena then addressed the grim Rumple, who wasn't too thrilled to be in this situation. "It's _your_ turn." Raising his dagger up, she continued. "Fight your former pupil and…show _no mercy_." She then approached him from the side, wanting to speak directly to him. "Remember what I said…we need her shield to come down so that the spell can work properly. Drain her of her power by accosting her energy supply. Got it, dear?"

Gold breathed deeply, looking away from the eager Zelena so he could confront his opponent.

Regina had swept her uneasy gaze onto him the moment she had realized that he would be forced into fighting her next. Swerving her eyes over the three before her, she repositioned her hands so that only one would face him—a means to protect her side from any potential, lateral attack—and after doing so, she waited, her body poised in complete concentration.

After taking a moment to think about what he was going to do, Rumple unleashed a powerful stream of bright light into her direction; the pure strength of it managed to jolt her back a couple of steps, but since she _has_ sparred before and also knew the potency of _his_ magic, she was able to contain it by blocking it. Then, when she got into the rhythm of their fight, she countered his jet of energy by releasing a stream of her own, which built up around her fingers before it, suddenly, pushed against his—their contrasting colors of gold and purple flashed and burned treacherously against one another.

"Rumple, _don't'_!" Belle cried out, trying to get out of Leroy's protective hold but couldn't seem to shove him away from her.

Swallowing hard, Rumple attempted to listen to her but knew that it was futile. As long as Zelena held his dagger, he had to obey her commands. So, he kept up his battle with Regina and even intensified his emitted power—the stream gradually transformed into a solid wedge of golden muscle.

Grunting under the strain, Regina managed to look over her shoulder to see if there were any people directly behind her. She wasn't sure that she would be able to hold off against Rumple for much longer and she didn't want any injuries or causalities if she, somehow, lost control. Noticing that the crowd had REMARKABLY stayed where they were, including the Charming's, she groaned out in frustration. When she said: 'give me some room', she had really meant: "go away!", "escape!" or "leave!" but NO…they decided to gawk and ogle like a bunch of idiots.

When she began to struggle under Gold's mounting abilities, she opted for a new tactic. Using her free hand, the one that happened to be pointing in Zelena's direction, she lifted it up and summoned a collection of purple energy into the middle of her palm. As soon as it was fully developed—the electricity crackled and burbled right beside her ear—she released it, sending thick bolts of hot blue rods into his direction, which, quickly, reached and struck him in the left shoulder; causing that entire side to vibrate in painful-looking shudders. The potency alone was enough to surprise him but when he felt his body swing into the direction of the force, knocking him down to the ground, he was completely stunned. A gasping sound poured out from behind his lips, making him realize the powerful vigor in which she had attacked him with—he was slightly proud _and_ irritated by that insight.

Thinking on her feet, Regina then decided to use the bolt as some type of a distraction, so, after repeating the process, she then hurled it into their general location; swaying and fluttering the same hand around in order to spread it, generously —the appearance, of which, greatly resembled a moving snake. But before it could even reach her challengers, Emma, once again, stepped in front of Zelena with both of her hands up, summoning the same shield that she had used on Regina previously.

"_Good_ girl," the witch remarked, watching the magical display with glee. "You're much more useful than…" she paused, taking a moment to look over at Rumple, who was now kneeling and nursing his wound."…_Him_…"

Then, turning her gaze back onto her sister, she gave her a neutral expression—a big downfall from the happy one she had just worn. "I must give you some credit, Regina. You're obviously more powerful than I thought, which makes me cringe, but life is full of shocking disappointments; however, I _still_ think that I will win as the day draws on."

The crowd hushed at her words while terrified expressions filled out Mary Margaret and David's faces. Regina simply reacted by narrowing her eyes, which was, apparently, her normal way of handling things whenever things involved her sister. Briefly looking over at Emma, she felt a foreboding shiver run throughout her body, making her ease up on her unfriendly glare. _What the hell was she going to do now_? She silently thought while, once again, getting into her stance.

"I guess it's time that I move this into the next stage. Emma," Zelena said in an authoritative tone, making the woman look over her shoulder in order to see her. "Remember what we talked about if _this_ didn't work? Well, it's time. Let's do what we practiced last night."

"What the _hell_ does that mean?" Regina yelled; her eyes wide as they darted between Zelena, Emma and Rumple.

"_You'll_ see," she answered with a grin, which only increased the tremors.

Looking forward before tilting her head back to stare up at the sky, Emma dropped the shield so that she could flex her wrists—the things she was being made to do, under Zelena's orders, were beginning to affect her physically—but before anybody could even blink, she straightened her arms out in front of her, suddenly; the thrusting motion both quick and agile. A massive stream of dark energy then flared _from_ the tips of her fingers _up_ to the large barrier Regina had placed around Storybrooke. The sheer force of her powers colliding against the protective wall were both amazing and powerful when a loud boom shattered the air around the town, sending large waves of thunderous energy down upon the citizens. The ground rocked and the buildings shook, affecting not only the structure of the homes, but also their primary electrical source as well; however, from what little they could see, it didn't last long. The lights only flickered for a couple of minutes before they regained their natural brightness.

"Stop, Emma, _STOP_!" Mary Margaret cried out, urgently. She was now being physically restrained and sheltered by David, who had pulled her behind him sometime during the conflict between Regina and Gold. Her voice was weak with exhaustion when she continued to shout out at her, desperately trying to snap her out of the trance she was under. "This isn't the real you, Emma! You have to fight it!"

A gust of cold wind then swept up around the people, blowing away Mary Margaret's pleas along with anything else that wasn't attached to something.

Emma's cloak flapped behind her, creating a wide gap between it and her legs as it swayed and danced in the windstorm that had begun to surround them, because of her magic, but she didn't acknowledge it.

Her attention, as instructed, was solely on bringing Regina's shield down.

**…**

**Review, favorite and/or follow! All is appreciated.**

**Another chapter will be up soon!**


	13. Unexpected Surprises

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Zelena is causing some trouble in the streets of Storybrooke with Emma and Rumple by her side. Her intentions are to bring down the shield Regina had placed up around the town.**

**I hope you like it! It is pretty long :]**

**/**

****TO MY GUESTS!** -I'm reposting the answers here, from my profile page, like I promised! :)****To all those who didn't have any questions and just made a comment: THANK YOU! I value all input :)**

**-Posted on 9/16, around 7:40 pm for Chapter 12: She was able to take the baby's heart out because she, like the child, is a product of true love. In my story, those with that particular gift will have the ability to do it to another. Sorry if that wasn't clear in my earlier chapters but I did plan on explaining it more in depth as the story wore on! -It'll also be further elaborated on in Part 2, so please stick around! And yes, the baby is David's child. I don't know what indication you got that it wasn't, but he is (smiley face).**

**-Posted on 9/17, around 6:30 am for Chapter 12: Thank you! In two chapters, something will happen between Hook and Emma.**

**…**

**Chapter Thirteen: Unexpected Surprises**

**…**

**L**owering his weapon, Robin stressed his words, his attitude frazzled. "What happened? Should we go back?"

She fervently shook her head before stuttering out her response. "I…I don't…no, we should…continue—"

"Is it _Emma_?" Hook cut in suddenly, moving to stand a couple of feet in front of her. "What _is_ it?"

She couldn't seem to answer him properly. She didn't know why but she just…couldn't. It was as if somebody had pulled the plug on her vocal cords and the more she tried to reason it out, the more incoherent her words became.

Rolling his eyes in complete agitation, Hook could feel himself starting to lose it. Why were they here if she didn't know what she was doing? Did she think that it was funny? Was she teasing them? Was she not taking this seriously? –he didn't know! Thinking that it would be best if he walked away for a moment, he started to turn around but stopped when he heard her stuttering. Immediately igniting his temper and setting his teeth on edge, he boiled over in a loud tone of voice; unintentionally upsetting a few birds that were flying above them. "What the BLOODY HELL are you playing at?! If you don't know what you're looking _for_ or-or what to _do_ then what _bloody_ good are you?!"

"Hook," Robin began, getting tired of the man's impatience. "We all want to assist Emma but—"

"I just want solid results!" he exclaimed, gesturing zealously to his sides. "All she has done is waved her bloody stick-wand-_thingy_ around!"

"I think that it's more complicated than that…"

"How complex could it be for one to track a _specific_ feeling? Shouldn't magic be more _evolved_ than that?"

"_You_ are starting to—" Robin began, pointing his free hand at him but before he could utter another word, he was interrupted by a vexed Glinda.

"Enough!" she interjected, her voice overshadowing theirs. "Killian, I understand your pain, however," she paused, directly meeting his gaze when he looked over at her, irritably. Her eyes flickered with that infallible and determined spirit she always seemed to show during intense arguments, often causing her features to radiate a powerful type of strength. "Now is _not_ the time to lose our resolve. We have to keep it together."

"_I'm_ not the one who has the _issue_," he said, visibly inhaling in an effort to gain control. "…I'm not the one who's taking us on a wild goose chase!"

"Alright, calm down you guys," Robin stated, lifting a hand out to silence the exasperated man to his left while giving Glinda a beseeching look. "We're supposed to be working together NOT attacking one another. That's not how a team works. Now," he said, directing his comments solely to the accommodating witch. "You have gifts, we saw you use them to manipulate what appeared to be the wind, so, can't you do that again?"

"I barely got anything when I did it the first time," she explained. "Your realm is too difficult for me to read, but…I suppose that I can try it again." Sighing to clear her head and to calm down, she loosened her hold on her wand before stretching her arms out to her sides, her palms facing the sky. Closing her eyes, she tried to reconnect herself to her protecting element which, instantly, began to pick up all around her, swirling and tumbling around her legs at a fast pace. When she could feel the familiar humming begin to grow inside of her, causing the current to enhance in size and strength, she opened her eyes to look at Robin, who was still standing pretty close.

"You might want to back up a few paces. I don't want you to get hurt if it becomes too dominant in these surroundings."

Heeding her words, he walked towards Hook, backwards, and when he passed by him, he waved at him, suggesting that he should do what he was doing. Growling and rolling his eyes, Hook complied and followed after Robin, grumbling to himself when he did so.

Exhaling deeply, Glinda steadily increased the flow of air around her with the raise of her wand, causing the wind to fully encircle around her body in a twirling motion. Focusing intently on what lay in front of her, she allowed the humming to consume her, which blackened and shutdown everything in sight; disarming her senses so that she could properly concentrate on her feelings.

Taking longer than expected by crossing the six minute mark, the men tried to keep themselves occupied while watching the spectacular sight.

Hook was the first to speak, his voice faint in an effort to not interrupt Glinda—God knows he didn't want her to have to start all over again. Already standing near one another, he slanted over and whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "I, uh, I just wanted to say…thanks for assisting me that night when I, uh, was you know…"

"Drunk?" Robin finished for him, giving him a sideways glance in amusement. "You're welcome. I was wondering when you were going to say something about that night. On our way over to the Diner, you were very quiet."

"I know, mate," Hook responded. "I was self-preserving myself, didn't want to say anything else embarrassing…"

"Well, I wouldn't call your performance that… I would say that it was more entertaining than anything else."

"Of course you bloody would, I was barking mad! I was practically in a drunken stupor."

"Don't worry. I won't hold it against you." Robin said, teasingly before clearing his throat and crossing his arms, his weapon hanging limply on his left. "But I, uh, hope that everything works out with that woman you kept talking about…"

Hook's eyes widened before he coughed rather loudly. "Uh, thanks." Not liking where this was going, he decided to turn the tables on him. "I wish you well in your endeavors too."

"What do you mean?" he asked, turning his head to look at him.

"I was referring to Regina, mate," Hook stated, plainly. "From what I recall, you two missed out on an _opportune_ meeting before you ended up wasting the night away at The Rabbit Hole with me."

"Ah, yes," Robin recalled, nodding his head slowly. "Well, don't fret about that. We sorted it out."

Now fiddling with his metal appendage to keep his hands busy, Hook politely inquired. "How so, mate?"

"During the first search, for Emma," he began, scratching his right arm. "We paired up and she told me that around the time I had stopped by at her house, she couldn't sleep so she went to visit me at my camp…"

"Ahh," Hook responded with a chuckle. "So, you basically missed one another?"

"Mm, pretty much."

"Let me guess," Hook continued, turning his body around to face him. "When she noticed that you weren't there, she went back to her house but you were no longer there waiting because you were _now_ at the bar."

"Unfortunately," Robin muttered in agreement, nodding his head up and down.

Biting his lip to hold back the laughter he felt gurgling in his throat, he averted his gaze off to one side so that Robin wouldn't be in his line of vision. Catching on to what he was doing, the other man shook his head, a half smile on his face.

"Shut up, Hook."

"You _have_ to see the hilarity of that situation. That's just bloody priceless, mate."

"Not as priceless as you blabbering on about being cursed by Zelena and pining after a woman who, according to you, is your 'tormentor'…"

Opening his mouth to contradict Robin, Hook lifted his hand up and pointed it at him but stopped because he didn't really know what to say. He only knew that bit of information because of him…because he had blabbed in a moment of weakness. _Damn alcohol and my need to drink it_, he thought, flicking his fingers in irritation before dropping his arm back down to his side; silently acknowledging the truthful BUT unnecessary comment. "I see your point." Thinking about his mistakes that night, he then, unconsciously, blurted something else out. "…And I wasn't nor have I ever been cursed…presently, at least..."

"Oh? …Really?" Robin asked, wrinkling his brows together in skepticism. "What _was_ it then?"

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he answered, quietly. "Once again, I was drunk, mate…I was out of my mind."

"True, but most people gain an honest streak when they're inebriated and given what I endured that night, I'm pretty sure that you were one of those individuals. Plus," he said, briefly pointing his crossbow over at Glinda, deliberately making her one of his resources. "_She_ did mention something about you having a 'secret confession'."

Weighed down by his well-placed knowledge, Hook said nothing. He just stood there, a brooding expression starting to cover the top half of his face.

"I'm going to take that as a _yes_," a smiling Robin Hood announced, turning his gaze back to the Southern Witch, who was still in the midst of her whirlpool. "But rest assured, I won't say anything. A man has a right to his privacy."

Mumbling, Hook finally responded. "Aye, but _not_ if they're chummy with you…"

Surprised by his words, Robin's eyes widened. "'_Chummy_'? Well, I guess that we _are_ bonding after all…"

"In _that_ case," Hook began, a charming smile contorting his lips when a random thought popped into his head. "How about you pay for half of my tab, eh? After all, you did lend a contributing hand in my drunkenness, mate."

Dropping his stance so he could properly turn towards him, Robin shouted at Hook in complete disbelief. "I only bought you _two_ drinks! You did the majority of the damage, to your_ own _self, and _way_ before I had arrived, I might say!"

"Contributing is _still_ contributing," he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Shaking his head, Robin countered his proposal. "I think that I made it up to you when I brought you to the Bed and Breakfast, endured your ravings about _Emma_ and removed _all_ of the sharp equipment you had on you so that you wouldn't kill yourself in your sleep. As far as I'm concerned, my debt is fulfilled."

Reflecting about what had happened that night and the level to which he looked out for him, Hook easily agreed. "Aye, mate, you do have a point…"

"Plus," Robin continued, giving him a telling look. "They probably wouldn't let me anyway because of the 'insufferable attitude' you demonstrated that night."

Taking another moment to piece things together, Hook absentmindedly bobbled his head up and down. "_That_ barmaid wouldn't let you then, eh?"

"…Nope," the man responded after a moment. "You're basically on your own…"

"And those were her words, I take it?"

"Yep…"

"Dammit, I guess that I'll have to do what Red suggested after all," Hook joked, thinking back to the conversation he had with the woman at the Diner, which also happened to be the same day that everything changed. Emma went missing…his Emma went—_Wait a minute_, he thought suddenly, recalling a piece of the conversation that he had just had. Rotating his head towards his companion, he tried to appear nonchalant instead of flustered when he spoke out, his mind reeling from the unheard word. "…Did you mention Emma's name just now?"

"Huh?" Robin questioned, even though he knew exactly what Hook was talking about. He had cleverly and casually mentioned her name to see if she _was_ the one he had been blabbering about that night—despite having the sneaking suspicion that she was. He just wanted to know for sure. After letting him sweat it out for a couple of seconds, he conceded. Turning his body around so they could easily see one another, he finally replied.

"Don't be ashamed of your feelings for her, Hook," Robin started, slightly consoling the panicked expression on the other man's face. "She's a good woman and I'm sure things will work out."

"That's not what I'm worried about."

"Then what is it?"

"I don't think that she—"

Hook was then, unexpectedly, interrupted by Glinda's voice, which cut through their conversation like a sharp knife. "Okay, I'm done. Let's go."

Hurriedly walking over to them after her encircling windstorm had died down, she twirled her wand in and around her fingers. She had finished her consultation a few seconds ago and was determined to find what had pulled her focus away from the Storybrooke. The read she got was…_still_ confusing. While something strange had happened to Emma—she was positive of that as well as the fact that this particular journey had _nothing_ to do with her—there was something else, something that she apparently needed to know.

_Whatever it is_, she thought as she approached them, steadily stepping over a few, broken branches. _It was obviously important if it was able to draw me away my previous intentions_.

"Uh," Robin began, stirring from her sudden contribution as he, protectively, raised his crossbow up to their surroundings. "Where are we going, milady?"

"Just follow me," she responded when she surprisingly passed them, her body language radiating a refreshing sense of professionalism. Exchanging looks, they, once again, followed after her; their strides long in order to walk catch up.

The three then headed deeper into the forest. Every move they made was both vigilant and wary since they weren't so keen on the thought of being ambushed by anything or anyone. The further they delved, at an even pace, the more dangerous their situation became because they were starting to enter into "monkey territory"…or where the majority of the townspeople had disappeared—especially if they were a part of Robin's crew.

"I don't think that we should be doing this," Robin concluded, raking his eyes in every direction while steading his weapon out in front of him. "It's not safe."

Hook withdrew his pistol from his belt, finally taking it upon himself to hold up some type of a defense. Glancing over his left shoulder at Glinda, who was standing in-between them with her wand raised, he sighed impatiently. Still peeved about what had happened earlier, he tried to keep his irritation hidden when he whispered his concern over to her. "Do you have _any_ idea where you're taking us, lass?"

Unaffected, she replied. "Yes, just a little ways more, straight ahead."

"You better be right," he warned, turning his gaze back in front of him so he could pay attention to where he was pointing his pistol.

"I am."

Rounding a sharp corner, they slowed their pace down and proceeded with caution. Following the winding pathway, they eventually found themselves entering into a small clearing that was surrounded by various bushes and thick, dark trees.

Furrowing his brow and slightly dropping his prepared crossbow, Robin spoke, recalling his whereabouts a few days ago. "Wait, I was here," he then paused, stopping so he could look at the other two, who followed his actions to hear what he had to say. "I was here the night Emma was taken. Before I went to the bar and stayed with you, Hook, I was—"

"—you were on a mission," Hook smoothly interjected, his eyes clear with awareness. "You were trying to capture a monkey for a cure…" Robin nodded his head, both of them coming to the same conclusion. Lifting then dropping his hook hand in anger, frustration and fear, he continued; stating what he believed to be a fact. "So, Zelena _did_ take Emma…"

"Let's not jump to any conclusions, just yet," Robin said, trying to calm him down. "It could all be a coincidence."

"No, it makes sense," Hook explained, thinking about the job that he had failed to do for her which led up to Emma's suspicious disappearance. "Before everything happened, we were both attacked by one of those cursed monkeys. Its intent was to take her somewhere but…if it wasn't for Glinda," he looked over at her, his eyes soft. "She would've been gone sooner."

"I merely did my part," she responded, giving him a small smile. "And don't sell yourself short. I saw how you went to her aid. Your actions were both protective and heroic." Glancing at both of them before starring into the direction that had her senses bouncing, she added to her statement. "Come on. We're nearly there."

Nodding their heads, they urgently pressed on, crossing the clearing till they reached the other side. Merging around the area, they soon stumbled upon something odd. At first, there were small, innumerable pieces of blue chips dispersed in various positions, but the farther they headed in that direction, the more prevalent they became.

"These weren't here the last time I was," Robin announced as they all looked around in fascination.

"What the bloody hell are they?" Hook asked nobody in particular. "They look like blue…crystals…"

When they gradually transformed from pieces to large chunks, Glinda knew she was getting close. Breaking into a run, she sprung forward, leaping and zigzagging through the azure lumps with a practiced grace—the men tried their best to do the same but decided that, after a few trips and spills, they were better doing what they did best…sprinting. Exercising their long legs, they easily managed to catch up to the nimble Southern Witch, again, but just when they were upon her, she suddenly stopped. Stretching their hands and arms out in front of them, they sought balance, which they quickly achieved after leaning backwards; the idea of toppling over and onto unknown objects served as their encouraging anchor to succeed.

Eyes fixed on what lay directly ahead, both Glinda and Robin bent down into a kneeling position while Hook stood directly behind them, eyeing it warily. Unafraid, Glinda reached out and picked up a few chunks for inspection and by doing so, she made a shocking find. Inside the three pieces she was cradling, she noticed that there was a weird sort of dark matter, but judging from the appearance, they looked trapped, as if they were permanently locked in. It was completely unnatural—not to say that the whole situation wasn't—and when she tapped at it with her finger, she discovered that it wasn't a crystal or anything like that at all…

"It is ice," she said when she felt the undeniable coldness begin to heat up the underside of her nail. Looking over at Robin, who was stooped a little ways behind her on her left, she handed the pieces over to him so he could either contradict or confirm her inspection. "Here."

Doing the same, he thwacked at it with his finger. "You're right…it is ice…but how? How is _that_ even possible?" He turned to offer it to Hook but he declined. Unlike the two of them, he wasn't really interested in what they were currently doing—finding it unnecessary and tedious.

"This is it?" Hook then asked, lifting a questionable brow at the sight. "This is what you've been feeling? A pile of…_ice_?"

"Not exactly," she answered, shifting her stance into a squat so she could look at him more easily. "If you look at it properly, you can see something inside of them…"

Grabbing a handful of his own; Robin gazed upon the shards before gasping out in shock and amazement. "Blimey…do you know what it is?"

"I believe," she started, carefully stabilizing her long wand, horizontally, onto her now drawn up thighs so she could explore the pile more thoroughly. Leaning over, she brushed away at the top, bravely going beneath the rubble to accommodate her hunch and curiosity and when she did, the tips of her fingers made contact with a really big piece of ice. Wrapping them around it, to get a good grip, she pulled it up, causing the shards to fall away from its original spot; ultimately revealing a huge block of rime that was filled up to the inner brim with the same dark, mysterious substance. Only when she fondled the other side, via moving and rubbing her finger tips over it, did she resume speaking. "…that these are the remains of a monkey…"

Skeptical, Hook put away his pistol and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Crossing his arms over his chest, he questioned her. "What makes you so certain about that, lass? It doesn't even _look_ like a chimp."

Without saying another word, she turned over the block she was holding, instantly silencing the criticism that she had been receiving from behind her. Buried deep inside of the icy confinement was a beheaded monkey's head. Severed at the neck, its flesh _was_ the dark matter that they had been seeing—solving that mystery rather quickly—because it was still attached to the bones, but that wasn't the most intimidating or disconcerting part. There was a look of pure terror in its still vibrant eyes, which pulled its skin back along the brows, cheeks and snout; producing deep wrinkles on the side of its face.

"Do you believe me now?" Glinda inquired with a mischievous look before tossing it over to Robin, who reluctantly caught it.

"So, this is what you sensed?" he asked, glossing the monkey head over by rolling it in his hands, observing it at all angles.

Picking up more of the tiny pieces, she brought them up, eyelevel, to study them. She now had her suspicions and was looking for something specific, something to prove that it was _her_ doing. "Yes, it is. Now that I'm certain about a few things, I can inform you of what happened during my reading session." Still studying the creature's remains, she continued. "Even though our journey here began with the belief that we would find Emma, it seems that this particular journey wasn't really wasn't about her."

"What?!" Hook shouted; his eyes and face sinking in disbelief.

"I was surprised by that too," she stated, wincing in embarrassment. Elaborating on her short but stunning explanation, she multitasked, digging further into the pile for unknown reasons. "Back in Storybrooke, something pulled my focus here but when we arrived, nothing was definite, as you very well know, and when I had that _feeling_, a few minutes ago, about something happening back _at_ the town…I was, needless to say, very confused. Why would my senses lead me here but then take me someplace else? Well, I found the answer. When two things happen concurrently, it _always_ pulls at my focus, cluttering everything inside of me, but in this realm, where things are twice as hard for me to decipher, it made it a thousand times _worse_."

"So," Robin began, piecing things together for himself and Hook, who was now pacing behind them, anxiously. "Since you weren't able to, no offense given, _read_ your powers correctly, what you thought was the problem—Emma—turned out to be _another_ problem—this icy mess?"

"Exactly," she answered with a nod.

"Basically what you're saying is…" Hook cut in, perturbed. "Emma isn't here and that _she_ could be what you sensed in Storybrooke?"

"Possibly," she said, stopping for a moment to reflect on that feeling. "Something bad _did_ happen there, so, when I locate just one more thing here, we should all go back immediately."

Seeing how Hook was about to react, Robin vocally stepped in, effectively cutting off the upset pirate, who was facing in the direction of the town with great agitation. "What else could you possibly be looking for?"

"I'm inspecting it for residual magic. It's a stamp or calling card a witch or warlock leaves behind after they've used their abilities on something or someone, and judging from what _type_ was used," she paused, looking at the many pieces in front of her. "I think that it was the Ice Queen."

"Okay, who the bloody _hell_ is this Ice Queen?!" Hook shouted loudly, gesturing roughly out to his sides, once again losing his temper.

"She is Zelena's partner in this whole ordeal," Glinda promptly answered, realizing that she didn't explain that to them earlier. Grabbing her wand before she stood, stretching the lower half of her body, she lifted it up and pointed the tip of it out before her. "Because of her actions here, using her powers from wherever she's lurking, it took time away from us finding Emma. So if you want to cast some blame, she deserves a good portion of it…"

"I don't believe this…" Hook muttered, closing his eyes and turning away from her to collect himself.

"Now, would you mind if I borrowed your satchel?" Glinda unexpectedly asked, taking a step back so she could look at him, her eyes imploring.

Shaking his head, he inquired. "_Why_?"

But before she could answer, a deafening and earsplitting sound erupted into the sky, surrounding them at all angles. When forceful tremors swept the ground, Hook and Glinda stumbled back while Robin steadied himself by putting both of his hands onto the ground, dropping the frozen head in order to support himself. Then, all three of them looked up, Robin had to twist around since it had come from behind him, and there, they saw, a large, jet black beam rise in the distance.

"That's in Storybrooke," Hook breathed, saying what they were all thinking.

A stinging pang rung out in Glinda's head when she continued to watch and immediately, she knew who was producing it—it had to be Emma…She was right about her being in town and so, without attracting the two men's attention, she turned towards the pile and pointed her wand at it. Summoning her magic to collect every available piece of the monkey in the area, whether in plain sight or not, she briefly waited as the various shards scrambled and climbed to get to her—including the head beside a distracted Robin—creating a bigger pile than before. Whispering to herself, she then flicked her wrist then rotated her arm and shoulder, stirring the limb in circular motions so she could enact a particular spell. When a puff of pink light emerged from the tip, she sent it out, producing a thin stream before it gathered and wrapped itself around the broken shards.

As her magic molded and shaped the bits into a circular ball, mystically minimizing and shrinking its true size down, she called it to her with a wave of her hand, which it instantly heeded to in a bobbing fashion. Grasping it in one palm, she lifted her wand up to transform it back to its first stage, the floating diamond, before she, once again, turned to look at Hook, who still enchanted by the strange sight. "_Quickly_," she said, trying to maintain a calm demeanor, even though she felt differently inside. Stretching her free hand out to him, her fingers spread, she continued. "_Give_ me your bag!"

Hearing her, he looked at her with an incredulous expression but didn't challenge it. Grabbing the strap with his hand, he lifted it over his head with practiced ease, making sure that it didn't get entangled in his hair or snare around his earring. Rolling the material in his hands so he could have a better grip, he met her gaze before flinging it over to her, creating a wide arc in the air before it landed with a thump in the crook of her left arm.

Nodding her thanks, she then turned her attention down to the bag, which she shook open so she could situate the pink-like orb into it, horizontally—the flap was closing in on itself since it wasn't really filled (there was only Hook's extra appendage inside), making the gap very narrow.

Blinking back his surprise, Hook pointed at the object. "Is that—?"

"Yes," she immediately answered, jiggling the satchel to further accommodate what she was putting inside of it and when she was done, she hugged it to her chest, not wanting her magic to become unstable if she didn't attend to it. Turning to face them, her crystal now floating over her shoulder, she addressed them, directly. "Now, let's get out of these woods."

"I agree," Robin said, his eyes drawn to the item around Glinda but when he stood up and looked at Hook, he shook his head; silently telling him to leave it alone. Shrugging his shoulders and clearing his throat, he listened by staying on track. "And let's do it now. I don't like the looks of that…_thing_. It appears as if it's trying to tear down the shield Regina put up."

"It _is_," Glinda acknowledged when the three came together and began walking, taking the winding pathway back to the center of the forest with long strides. "That's one of the ways to do it, if it's _not_ your own design, but it takes a lot of power and by the looks of it," she paused, gazing over at a distressed Hook. "It is definitely going to cause some major damage."

"Zelena," he stated bitterly, glancing over his right shoulder, as well as the other two's heads, to look at the steady beam.

Licking her lips, she slowly informed him the truth. "Not Zelena, but Emma, Killian. Somehow, someway, she has a type of control over her."

"How do you know that, lass?"

"Zelena usually produces green lights, never black ones...and, uh...Emma, normally, permeates whitish hues." After giving him a sideways glance, she then continued. "...The opposite of that pure color would be black..."

Hesitating to believe her, he shook his head, but when he remembered how she told them about something happening in Storybrooke, he swallowed the huge, perturbing lump in his throat. A chilling sensation swept up and down his spine, making his skin prickle in clamminess. Picking up the pace, he tried to get to Emma as quickly as possible but when the other's fell into a similar rhythm, a blue spurt of energy shout up and out into the air from Hook's satchel; scaring everybody—particularly Glinda.

"…What the _bloody_ _hell_ is happening _now_?" Hook cried out, tired of all the distractions and/or the perfectly timed coincidences that always seemed to be pulling them away from their main focus.

The blue light hovered over their heads before falling behind them, dipping over the head of Glinda to go back to the spot where the majority of the fragments had been. Narrowing her eyes, the Southern Witch used her accurate vision to analyze it and when she did, she found what she had been looking for a few minutes ago...the residual magic.

Not taking her eyes off of it for a second, she handed the bag over to Robin, who grunted under the surprise gesture when it fell perfectly into his arms, before turning around to follow the light, which was swerving and bending in the air; taunting her to come closer.

"Uh," Hook called out, after exchanging looks with his comrade. "WHERE are you going _now_? Storybrooke is THIS way!"

Looking over her shoulder before nimbly twisting around to walk backwards, she hastily replied. "It wants me to follow it, so, I'm going to but you don't have to come with me. Go back into town and find a way to deter Zelena _and_ Emma till I get back! This shouldn't take long, _trust_ me!" Beckoning her crystal back into her hands, she then sprinted after the blue wisp, which started leading her away as soon as she did so—clearly trying to escort her someplace else.

"You're _joking_! You have already left Storybrooke once in order to find something and _now_, you're doing it again?! Unbelievable!" Hook exclaimed, watching her disappear into the opposite direction, rapidly. Gazing over at Robin, he growled. "I suppose we should follow her…"

"No," Robin stated, moving his eyes away from the diminishing figure of Glinda so he could look at him. "I think we _should_ split up. She obviously has a lot on her mind. I'm guessing that having all of those feelings aren't easy to deal with if they constantly keep jerking you around. So, with that being said," he stated, pausing to point into the location that would take them back to the main street, "you should go back to Storybrooke and I'll go trail after _her_. Your heart is obviously with Emma and you should go do everything you can for her."

"What about…about _Regina_?" Hook asked; his eyes wide with shock and appreciation.

Smiling, he answered him, kindly. "My girl can handle herself. Right now, I'm needed elsewhere." Waving him away, he started going after the Good Witch. "I'll see you later and good luck!"

"Aye," Hook acknowledged, doing the same thing but in the opposite direction. "And to you, mate!"

And so, Robin hurried after the flighty woman, who was already _so_ far ahead of him.

**…**

**P**anting, she chased after the magical strand farther than she would've liked.

Ducking underneath a long branch, she watched as the pale blue wisp stopped a few feet in front of her, moving up and down before it turned in on itself, swirling and crystalizing till the edges flared out and flattened into a thin, hexagon plate of ice. As the edges rounded and the middle expanded to a more mirror-like image, the fine lining of the latter concaved into the form of a snowflake. Glinda approached it, guardedly. Her eyes never wavered from it, even when the anticipation in her began to build.

As if sensing her presence, the surface came to life with a series of flashes before peeling back the magical folds to expose the inventor and originator of the blue magic. She had fair skin, which bordered on an unnatural paleness, long platinum blonde hair braided off to one side, pink lips, flushed cheeks and captivating, crystal blue eyes.

Sitting in a throne-like chair, she leaned forward to get a better look at the woman who had followed her blue wisp and smiled, illuminating her perfect white teeth. "Well, well, what an unexpected but pleasant surprise…" Inclining back to her initial position, she continued. "I couldn't help but to notice that you had found the creature I froze in the woods. The same one that would've ruined your secret refuge if it had reported back to the Wicked Witch, so…I guess some form of gratitude is in order."

Trying to hide her surprise, Glinda took a step closer and clasped her hands behind her back, not wanting her to catch a glimpse her crystal._So, it was the monkey who had attacked Emma and Killian_? She thought to herself, incredulously. _How strange…why would she assist me_? Clearing her throat, so, that she wouldn't project her feelings aloud, she managed to speak in a firm tone. "The _Ice_ Queen, I presume?"

"The one and only, dear," the other woman responded, bowing her head at the introduction.

"Well, it wouldn't be my first 'unexpected surprise' of the day so I doubt that it would be my last," Glinda remarked, truthfully, squeezing the crystal tightly with her fingers.

Maintaining her smile, the Ice Queen carried on the conversation. "I've heard and gleaned many things about you, _Southern_ Witch, before and _after_ the downfall of your homeland, the supernatural _Oz_…or what's _left_ of it anyway." Waving a dismissive hand off to her side, she then looked at her, callously. "The details of your failures just kept piling up but information is _still_ information, I'm afraid…If you couldn't tell," she paused, her face brightening up. "I'm a _huge_ admirer of yours."

Clicking her tongue, Glinda responded, her lavender eyes flaring. "Sadly, I can't return the compliment. I hardly know anything about _you, _which is rather unfortunate."

Her face dropped a bit before she managed a recovery. With a deep breath, she feigned surprise. "Oh? How unusual…The _Scroll_ didn't mention anything about me? That's very peculiar. I hope that's not a natural occurrence for other people since that would mean that something is _significantly_ wrong with either your Keeping skills or the record itself; the former the less likely of the two because of your _banishment_."

Surprised that she had too much knowledge about her profession, Glinda tried to play it safe. "…What Scroll are you referring to?"

"There's no need to play coy, dear," the other woman responded, coolly. "Anyone who is _anyone_ knows about that rare piece of magic you Sacred Four are privy to guard over, but that's not what I led you over here for, not for the time being." Resting her elbow on the armchair so she could prop her head up via her knuckles, she got down to business. "I contacted you to confirm your feelings about what's going on in the streets of Storybrooke…"

"Really? Why would you do that when I was making my way back over there?"

"Besides the fact that you're my inspiration? I wanted to personally warn you."

Raising an eyebrow in suspicion, Glinda tilted her head. "Fine, tell me."

"In this little place where magic has the luxury of roaming free, unconstrained from any true magical rules _or_ regular dealings with the other realms—which was cleverly done, by the way. I should've done so myself, but I digress…Zelena has found a way to take advantage of the one referred to as: the 'savior' or Emma Swan..."

Ignoring the fact that she knew too much about what was going on, Glinda pressed her for more, wanting to know the details about her new friend. "How would she have been able to do that? Did she use a Controlling Spell?"

"No, nothing so informal. She's in possession of the young woman's heart and is using it for her dirty deeds. That's the reason why she went missing. Not only did she kidnap her but she also _trained_ her, trying to mold her into the perfect, obedient servant," the Ice Queen then paused to point at Glinda. "Much like you tried to do to _her_."

"I did nothing of the sort," she responded, hotly before settling down. Mentally shaking the images of her past away, she analyzed the Ice Queen's features and noticed that something was bothering her. "You seem both thrilled and crestfallen by what she has done, which leads me to believe that some of the things Zelena has accomplished weren't part of your collaboration. You're complaints alone seemingly prove it."

"Are you trying to get into my head because if you are," she responded, her eyes flickering dangerously. "You won't like what you'll find there. It's far too _cold_ and treacherous for a person of your bearings to withstand." Feeling the anger begin to rise inside of her, she clinched her fingers together in an effort to control her abilities. Inhaling, she looked away. "I'm just doing what my _parents_ _longed_ for me to do…I'm just trying to be a 'good girl'..." Releasing her breath through her teeth, she glanced back at Glinda, who was giving her an unreadable expression.

"If I were you, I would be very, _very_ careful. You'll be treading on dangerous waters if you don't take what I'm saying to…to _heart_."

Softening her stance and her eyes, Glinda replied, steadily. "I still don't understand why you're telling me this…what do you have to gain?"

Tilting her head back, the masked smile returned, illuminating her once questionable features to a more eerie one. "I have my reasons but as long as she delivers on the promises she's made to me, I have nothing else at stake in this _egotistical_ game of hers."

"For some reason, I think that there's more to your words than what meets the eye." Observing her further and not liking the results, Glinda's eyes widened, the realization hitting her hard. "You're plans have _evolved_, haven't they?"

Quiet for a moment, the Ice Queen twirled a piece of her hair, liking the alarmed look on the Southern Witch's face. "It was nice finally making your acquaintance, Glinda. We should do this again in the _near_ future; however, I do have just _one_ more thing to say before you leave." Leaning forward again, she finished her statement. "Be _careful_. You're going to need all of your strength and deductive skills in order to survive your present excursion with the _green_ witch."

Then, before Glinda could get the chance to respond back, the Ice Queen, still grinning, waved at her _then_ closed their conversational portal, which caused the mirror to shatter into a thousand, dust-like fragments.

Starring at the second pile she's seen that day, Glinda reflected for a moment. _Emma's heart was stolen, Zelena was using her and the Ice Queen was…warning her_? _What a bizarre morning_…Shaking her head, she brought her hands in front of her, nervously twirling the crystal in her fingers. She didn't have a good feeling about this entire situation but knew she had to confront her fears, so, without hesitating, she turned back around and broke out into a run; swiftly making her way to where she should've been in the first place.

When she had found her way back to the path, it was there that she noticed two things: the large, black beam was gone, which was a mixed sign, and Robin, who was leaning against a random tree, apparently, waiting for her. Sighing with mixed emotions, she continued her run over to him.

"You weren't supposed to stay…"

"I had to. It wouldn't have been right to leave you alone and unprotected," he replied, easily adjusting the satchel's strap around his shoulder. "I also tried to follow you but there was a strange denseness up ahead, so, I made my way back here, figuring and _praying_ that you would come back this way."

Breathing deeply, she managed to give him a teasing smile. "I thought you said that you were a _tracker_?"

"I am," he said, returning her smile when he recalled their prior discussion. "I guess today's not my 'good day' where that's concerned but, hopefully, we'll be able to make it back safely."

"Well," Glinda started, bringing the mood down to a somber level. "I hope so too. I was correct; it was the Ice Queen who entrapped the monkey."

"And you found that out when you followed that light into the forest?"

"Yes."

"Okay," he began after they had come together to make their way down path. "What's the plan?"

Tossing a strand of her hair back, she spoke clearly. "We're going to—"

A thunderous cold blast then stirred the air in front of them, pushing the two back a few steps, their hair and clothes whipping every which way. Snapping their heads up, they watched as a huge portal opened above their heads, a pitch black gap that, seconds later, was filled with a pale light. A rush of blue ice then suddenly formed in front of it, presenting them with that same thin-like mirror Glinda had just left behind.

"Oh _no_…" she cried out, placing a hand against her forehead to prevent her hair from lashing out into her face. "…She's here!"

Trying to breathe, Robin covered his mouth, his eyes never moving from the scene in front of him. "Who is?!"

"The Ice Queen!"

"Speak of the devil and it shall appear," the woman said, her face shimmering onto the smooth surface. She was still in her throne chair but had scooted up in her seat; her back was impeccably straight while both of her hands lay comfortably on the edge of armrest; her fingers delicately cupping the hard rims. Still wearing a smile, she glared down at the pair, amusement gleaming in her eyes.

"What are you doing?!" Glinda shouted seconds before the sudden upheaval died down, causing the trees and bushes to snap back to their natural position. "I thought that we were done talking!"

Looking at the strawberry blonde, she shrugged her shoulders before giving her a cold smile. "I'm sorry, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity of getting rid of one of the most powerful and influential witches of our time, no matter how much I _admire_ you." Narrowing her eyes, she then raised her hands out before her, shooting powerful blasts of snow and ice into their direction, chilling the air around them to an unbearable degree.

Glinda, acting quickly, pushed Robin behind her so he wouldn't get hurt. Then, after transforming her crystal into a wand, she tried to deflect some of the incoming blizzard but found that the snow particles were coming in too strong. So, she then created a medium sized shield to wrap around them, forcing them to wait and watch as the large, white clumps and clusters smacked against the pink magical field at all angles. Deciding to use it as a defensive tool, Glinda outstretched her arms before quickly bending them at the elbows, tucking them in front of her so that the space between them made an upside down triangle. Then, bringing them up further, she pushed vertically, causing the barrier to loosen its grounded stance in order for it to hover above their heads. Wobbling under the immense use of magic, she grunted loudly, but held her footing when she violently released it into the portal's direction with a twist of her wrist and a sharp cry.

As it soared through the sky and blocked the Ice Queen's view, she turned towards Robin and grabbed his closest arm, tugging him closer to her. He was slightly petrified but she couldn't worry about his mental state right now, she had to get them out of there. Looking him in the eyes, she told him to hang on. "This could be rough."

On a sharp inhale, she summoned her powers of transporting, which quickly engulfed them both in an enormous puff of pink smoke, instantly removing them from their longstanding location in the deep woods. Managing to bring them to the edge of the forest, just outside the town limits of Storybrooke, she stopped the magical enchantment with a nonverbal command; materializing them out of the fog and into the clear, sea breeze air. Coughing but okay, Robin turned to thank her but noticed that she had collapsed and was having trouble standing up.

Asking her if she was okay, he wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her up, once again anointing himself with the designated helper position. She nodded but then shook her head, basically giving him mix signals till she spoke.

"I'm…fine, I'm just a little winded is all."

"I'm glad you're okay," he admitted before giving her a small, half smile. "That _definitely_ would've come in handy a few more times in there..."

Wiping her forehead, she tried to stand on her own but her legs began to wobble from the pressure she felt around her calves. Groaning out in frustration, she replied to him in a huff. "I'm generally not that strong when it comes to the art of transportation, so when you factor in the two portals I've already constructed and what I just did…let's just say that it literally knocks the _energy_ out of me."

"Well, that's okay," Robin said acceptingly, overlooking a couple of facts in her statement, like the portals and her emphasis on the word "energy". "We're going to do this together. All we have to do is meet up with the folks at the Diner and—"

He too was then interrupted by a couple of loud thumps, which were subsequently followed by a round of horrified shrieks, making them look at one another in confusion and surprise.

And so, without saying another word, they both half-ran, half-limped, to the outpouring cries, which were now echoing down the street, indistinguishably.

**…**

**W**ith a sweeping motion, the Ice Queen ended the terror she had unexpectedly unleashed upon them but already knew that they were gone. Clasping her hands out in front of her before putting them underneath her chin, she leaned forward and glanced over the work she had done to Storybrooke. The majority of the ground, bushes and trees, in that area, were covered with frigid ice while the air was more nippy than usual.

Her eyes dancing with glee, she waited for a moment before waving away the portal, bringing her reality back to the dark throne-room she was sitting in. "Well, that was a bit anticlimactic but, judging from the weakened state she's _obviously_ in, that yields great results for me…"

Eyes flashing, she got up from her seat and walked down the long corridor to get to the front entrance. "There you are, Zelena, I provided you the chance to go up against your old foe." Putting a hand on the handle, she looked back into the room with a knowing smile on her face. "And…if all goes well, _our_ plan will be a success..."

Sweeping her long gown behind her, she left, humming optimistically to a place unknown.

**…**

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**Stay tuned!**


	14. Defining Moments

**Sorry that I haven't updated in a while! I've been busy but the latest chapter is here now! This was a total blast to write :) **

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Glinda, Robin and Hook had an interesting time in the forest before the latter split up so he could go back into town. The Ice Queen is, also, putting some of her plans into motion.**

**FYI: I'm just piecing together the timeline I had created in the last couple of chapters :)**

**Please, read and enjoy!**

**…**

**Chapter Fourteen: Defining Moments**

**…**

**A**s the stream continued to pour out of Emma's fingertips and up into the barrier, Zelena watched anxiously, hoping that her protégé would be able to bring it down, but as the seconds clocked by with little to no results, she grunted out in frustration.

"_More_, Emma!" she screamed, making sure that she would be heard over her pupil's sheer velocity of magic. "Put your _back_ into it!"

Obeying her orders, Emma concentrated on releasing as much energy as possible, her gloves practically heating up from the projected force she was now using, and as soon as a bigger stream began to emerge, the accumulation of wind, that had surrounded them, began to stir and shift more violently—so much so that even the parked cars around them bounced.

Dents began to appear in the barrier around the pummel of black energy before giving way to small holes, which sprinkled about the top of the shield like little white dots. When they became more noticeable, the transparent gaps then merged together, creating a huge opening that ultimately weakened the whole structure.

Aware that it was possibly on the verge of collapsing, Zelena tried pushing Emma to her breaking point by ordering her to keep going, thrilled at the thought of the entire thing collapsing at any given moment. Giggling in amusement, the witch took a peek over at her sister so she could see her reaction. Regina was completely horrified. In fact…she was too terrified to do anything. She was just standing there with wide eyes and a dropped stance, the former of which was directed up at her creation in extreme alarm.

_Justice_, Zelena thought with a smile when she mused about all of the hardships she's been through, especially if they're compared to her perfect, baby sister's life. _Now, she can watch everything she had made crumple to her feet…it's just justice, plain_ _and simple_…

But despite the pleasing reaction she was getting from both her sister and the audience, Zelena's happiness soon dwindled when she saw that her plan wasn't working. Even though Emma was putting everything she had into dismantling the barrier, it wouldn't fall down...it had only chipped sections of it away.

Repeating her earlier grunts of frustration, Zelena shook her head. _I'll admit_, she acknowledged silently. _Having Emma manually try to bring Regina's barrier down was slightly dramatic but it did reveal one thing...I have to find some other means to do so...a more entertaining way_…

Biting the inside of her cheek, she knew that it was time to twitch tactics. So, waving her dagger hand limply in the air, she connected to Emma by speaking directly into the necklace. "That's enough for now, dear. No need to waste your talents further. I have a better idea…"

Heeding her words immediately, Emma stopped her flow of magic by rotating both of her wrists and as she lowered her arms down to her sides, her features dimmed considerably from the lack of participation. Watching as the energy crackled and exploded around the damaged location above her head, Zelena addressed the crowd, her eyes twinkling.

"Well, that was illuminating, wasn't it? Too bad that it didn't do what I had originally intended." Ignoring everybody's puzzled looks; she then roamed her gaze back over to Regina, her face now morphing into unspoken hatred. "I guess that we have to do it the...the more complicated, yet stress-relieving way."

Eyeing her suspiciously, Regina tentatively responded, not liking the way she was looking at her. "What do you mean?"

"Since _she_ can't bring the barrier down," she promptly followed; her features cold and humorless. "I'm going to have to settle for the person who _created_ it." And before Regina could even contemplate a response to Zelena's incredulous but honest announcement, she turned to Emma and directed her next words to her aloud, causing the possessed woman to return the glance. "I shall leave this task to you since you've proven yourself worthy, unlike poor, _old_ Rumplestiltskin here…"

Taking a step closer, Zelena continued, not seeing the loathing expression Gold was throwing her way. "I need you to weaken her in order for the barrier to disappear, so…attack your former mentor but, remember, my dear, what I had said to you previously. Use your rage. Now, attack _her_, attack her with all that you have left."

"You can't be serious," Regina said clearly, obviously hearing every word that was said, despite their close contact. "She's already used up enough of her energy as it is and...she's _barely_ trained in the magical use of sparring."

Rolling her eyes, Zelena responded to her sister while, simultaneously, beckoning Emma to do what she had said with an indicated head nod. "Unlike you, dear, she has actually learned from my teachings."

"Only because you stole her heart..."

"_Either_ way," the Wicked Witched dismissed, her infamous smile returning. "Her improvement is evident…as _you_ will now fully experience for yourself."

Regina said nothing when she took a back step off to the side, trying to distance herself from the oncoming attack and those who were _still_ standing behind her—as well as to gain some more fighting ground.

At that same moment, Emma looked away from Zelena by swerving her blank stare over to her former teacher, who was anticipating her movements. Breathing deeply, she then lifted a hand, her elbow bent and her palm facing inward, and summoned a powerful amount of black energy that sizzled and sparked around her fingers. Pausing for a minute, she let it cover her entire hand before allowing it to spread down to her wrist, her intentions clear as she demonstrated her new level of control.

Knowing that she was waiting for further confirmation, Zelena gave it to her easily, her features taking on a more passive expression. "Remember what I told you last night," she repeated, once again, referring to the motivational words she had given her about connecting the anger she feels towards a selected and respectable opponent. "_Go_."

Emma's dull and unreadable eyes slightly transformed into ones of purpose and resolve when she suddenly outstretched the same arm at her target, her fingers splayed in a wide setting.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret then shouted from behind both David and Regina, the former blocking her view. "You don't have to do this! Please, you have to listen to me! You can beat the _Wicked Witch_!"

Briefly halting Emma, who didn't even react to her mother's cry, Zelena commented back with a full-blown smirk. "I think that we've already proved the contrary. Now…" she trailed, readdressing her puppet. "Do what I asked of you…I'm in need of stimulating entertainment…"

Faintly nodding her head, Emma obeyed by releasing a series of warning shots at Regina, as if testing the waters with her, but when the latter dutifully and skillfully blocked all of them with a flick of a finger, the real battle began. Repeating the process, but with more vigor, Emma then sent out a blast of black light that moved away from her swiftly, its production coming out in a jagged fashion.

Gesturing that one away as well, but feeling the strength behind it, Regina looked over her shoulder and at the people who were STILL (stupidly) there, much to her annoyance. Keeping her eyes firmly on her new attacker, she cleared her throat in order for them to hear her warning. "_I _think that _everyone_ should take this opportunity to _go_ somewhere else or—!"

She was then unexpectedly cut off when she was suddenly struck in the top part of her left shoulder, which slightly spun her around due to its strong potency. Doubling over in pain, Regina winced at the sneak attack. "Son of a bitch," she sharply breathed out when she noticed the familiar stain of blood begin to color her blouse, the sticky substance quickly enlarging to the size of a closed fist. Looking back over at Emma, she slowly regained her composure by straightening to her full height, her gaze never wavering from the "former" savior's so another unforeseen strike wouldn't happen.

Doing her best to hide the agony of the throbbing and burning sensation that was threatening to tear her shoulder apart, Regina brought her hands up and created a threatening ball of purple light in her palms, the glow harsh and dark. "You want to fight, then let's go."

"Regina, don't," David cut in, trading glances between the magical pair. "You can't fight her…She's _our_ daughter….it's _Emma_."

"No, she's _not_," Regina bluntly stated, without looking at him. "Right now, she's nothing more than an empty vessel. I could try reasoning with her but without her heart, I'm afraid it'll be pointless. It'll be like talking to a wall…as you have clearly seen."

"Then we have to get her heart back," Mary Margaret declared, resting a hand on one of her husband's arms as she peered around him. "Our baby's too."

"I'm open to suggestions."

"Well…well, we could—"

"Wait, hold that thought!" Regina managed to exclaim when she noticed that she was about to be challenged again.

Now on the move for a better angle, with one hand outstretched, Emma calmly walked forward as she shot out a chain of black orbs, the last one larger than its predecessor. Combining the magic that she was already holding in her palms, Regina then pressed her hands together and created a smaller version of her protective barrier, the length of which rapidly spread to cover her entire figure as well as some of the people who were standing directly behind her, particularly the Charming's. The energy balls struck the surface hard enough to jolt her arms back but Regina held her ground, despite her chest and wound screaming in unbearable discomfort.

"EMMA, _STOP_!" Mary Margaret cried before her husband protectively turned around to enfold her into him, instinctively hugging her close so that nothing would flare out and hit her in the commotion. Most of the members in the crowd started to look about and move away, finally beginning to heed Regina's two earlier warnings about the potential dangers of staying there. Wrestling with their desires to either continue ogling at what Zelena wanted them to see or to leave/desert the pair so that they could get out of harm's way, some began to scoot and weave to the back while others just fidgeted around, clearly undecided. But when Emma stopped her current assault for a more powerful one, that's when most of their minds were officially made up.

Rolling her hands together, Emma stood still to create a circular stream of magic that folded around them till she pulled them apart, horizontally, revealing a thin sheet of dark energy that she then pushed out at Regina at an incredible pace. Striking just a little bit below her knees, the force bounced off of the shield and struck the ground, causing a noise similar to a thunderous explosion to blare down and around the main street. Chaos erupted when more than half the people turned and ran away, their faces painted with fear and sheer terror—leaving only a handful to stay where they were: Regina (of course), David, Mary Margaret, Belle, Red, Leroy and a few other dwarves (those who were uninjured).

Blasted back because of Emma's surprise move, Regina's personal shield flickered then faded away as tremors shot up and through her body, ultimately weakening her as it radiated deep within her injury, creating a dull, painful ache. Now exposed and vulnerable, she gave the couple a sideways glance. "You have to get out of here," her voice raspy. "Go back to the loft or to the Diner!"

"We're not leaving," Mary Margaret stated boldly, once again peeking out from behind David. "Not until we can save my children and get you out of here safely!"

Watching large amounts of people continue to scatter and escape, Regina replied back, hastily. "You're not helping things! Your presence here is just making things more difficult!"

"Regina!" David then yelled, suddenly pushing his wife gently over to the right sidewalk of the main street. "Regina, _look_ out!"

Transferring her attention back onto Emma, Regina looked back in time to see a thick jet of crackling black light being hurled into her direction, its aim projected somewhere around her chest region. Feeling too sensitive to make another barrier, she dove out of the way, opposite of where David and Mary Margaret were heading so that she could keep the focus solely on her. This blast was definitely more potent than the rest, which was shocking in of itself given Emma's elementary magical status. Rocking the concrete beneath their feet, the ground shook and vibrated because of that small wave of energy, which stirred the buildings around them.

Cackling at new sight, Zelena clapped her hands together, causing one side to slap against the cold hilt of the dagger, awkwardly. "That was brilliantly done, my star pupil! You're improving beautifully! Now…_finish_ her…"

"...What the _hell_..." Regina whispered, struggling to resume her proper stance.

Taking her orders seriously, Emma slowly began to approach her. There was a dim glow in her eyes when she resolutely pointed a glowing finger at Regina, allowing an ominous and hot bolt of stinging energy to snap and gather around the gloved tip.

**…**

**R**unning as fast as he could, Hook bounded over some logs and bushes so he could get to the streets of Storybrooke faster. So he could get back to Emma.

He was almost out of the forest when the dark beam above him suddenly disappeared, causing him to slow down a little bit in order to watch what may follow the change. Becoming unnerved by the loud crackling noise that surrounded the now gapping opening, he shook his head and resumed his previous pace, determined to avoid any more distractions.

Setting his focus on getting into the town, Hook burst through the remaining sections of the woods and down the street that he, Robin and Glinda had taken a while ago, and as he rushed around a right-sided corner, he found himself emerged in a large number of standing individuals. Eyes wide, Hook browsed over some of the faces in absolute puzzlement, stunned by the fact that there was a mass of people lurking about in the middle of the intersection.

Not wanting this to interrupt his chances of finding Emma, he tried to make his way back to the Diner but found himself stopping and turning into the direction they were all gawking in. Getting the intense feeling that this may contribute to where his love was, Hook raised a determined brow and managed to get to the closest sidewalk, which was less full than where he was, but as he made his way down it, the thicker with people it became. Sighing in exasperation, he was about to tap a person on the shoulder, to ask them a few questions, but before he could get the words out, a loud noise exploded somewhere in front of him.

Noticing that the majority of those who were ahead of him were now turning around and heading straight towards _him_, Hook quickly made his way over to the side of a building and flattened himself against it, narrowing avoiding the possibility of getting pummeled and flattened to death. As the crowd began to thin out, he carefully maneuvered his way through the scattering flock but when he saw a certain person who _shouldn't_ be outside, he stopped, his jaw slightly dropping open.

_Henry_…Henry was _out _here...

_What the bloody hell was he doing out here_?! He thought loudly when he changed his course to make his way over to the young lad, who was just standing there—much like the crowd was doing when he had arrived. Seeing Henry say something from his position, Hook stealthily advanced towards him, his focus now consumed with getting him out of a possible dangerous situation. Not even bothering to hide his appendage from him, Hook latched his hand onto one of Henry's shoulders and forced him to look at him, a sort of gravity in his eyes.

"What are you doing out here, lad? You were supposed to stay inside the Diner."

Surprised, Henry tried to swat away his hand but failed. "Let me go!" he exclaimed, desperately trying to pull away so he could go back to what he was doing. "Let me go, Killian!"

"Not a chance," Hook said quickly, tightening his hold on him by gathering more of Henry's shirt around his fingers, for better leverage, as he began to tug him away. "I'm taking you back there _now_. Whatever it is that's occurring out here, shouldn't be any of your concern. Your mother would have a heart attack if she saw you out here by—"

"You don't understand! My _mom_ is right _there_!" Henry then shouted; pointing into the direction he was previously facing before Hook had found him. "She's standing right _there_ using…using...I don't _know_!"

Taken aback, Hook snapped his head back at the lad before sweeping his gaze over to where he was indicating. "What are you…?" His eyes then drifted around and past the heads and bodies of the scrambling people and there…he saw who he was looking for.

Emma…_his_ Emma…

"Swan," he whispered; his throat drying up at the mere sight of her face, causing him to lose his grip on Henry, who instantly took advantage of it by stepping away from him. "She's okay…" he continued, too absorbed with the thought of her being alive to notice what she was currently doing. His failure lasted only for a minute because when he moved down from her face, his eyes took in the interesting clothing she was wearing and the black light that was covering the majority of her hands—not to mention the fact that she was fighting Regina, who he had just now noticed.

Furrowing his brows, he was about to ask what was going on when he heard Henry shout something right beside him. It was distant at first, since his attention was on his mother, but soon, it filled up his closest ear.

"What is _that_?! What's wrong with your _hand_?"

Knowing that he was talking about his hook, he sighed. Turning to face him, he responded back simply, still confused about what was happening. "I'll explain it all to you later but, right now, you and I have to—"

"What the…what is going on here?!" The boy questioned, his voice shrill at the unusual turn of events. "My mom is…she's…and now _you_…you have a—"

"Aye, I know, lad, but we—"

"Henry! Come back here _right_ this instance!" Granny suddenly shouted out from behind Hook, making him turn around to face her.

Noticing the gun in her hands, he easily shooed it away with the tip of his hook. Giving her a scowl, he then leaned in towards her. "I assume that _you_ were the one who was supposed to be watching him…? What the _bloody_ hell is going on here?"

"The boy got away from me but as to what _this_ is? …Out here? …I have _no_ clue."

A loud boom cut off anything Hook was about to say and as the ground buckled and rocked beneath their feet, he looked at an equally confused Henry—probably more so—before turning back to Granny, telling her to take him to someplace safe. Nodding her head, she hurriedly reached over and grabbed the boy, who fought her every step of the way when she dragged him from the scene—presumably back to the Diner; her one-handed grip incredibly strong.

Reverting back to his old priority, which was Emma, he decided to do something that was probably a bad idea. After sparing one last glance at the two that had just left, he looked ahead of him and charged forward, easily managing to move about because of the now nonexistent crowd. Barely hearing what Zelena—who he _also_ didn't see before—had said, he watched as a stern looking Emma began to approach a defenseless-looking Regina with a raised hand and so, without slowing down, he charged at her, the sheer force of his speed propelling him forward, effortlessly.

"Emma!" he bellowed, nearing her with every step he made. It was only when he entered her eyesight that she became aware of his presence. Briefly looking at him, her blank stare caught him off guard, which made it easier for her to do what was coming up next.

"Ahh, at last, the Captain has finally decided to grace us with his rugged presence," Zelena commented, humor glistening on every inch of her face. "Emma," she then said, loudly. "Do us both a favor and take the _trash_ out…"

Lifting and aiming her free hand at Hook, Emma waved it broadly, magically flinging him up and away from her with the simple motion. He didn't make a sound except when he landed, on his side, a few feet from her parents, who instantly went to his aid.

Gasping, he gave Emma a surprised look before shifting over to gaze straight into David's eyes, which were tight with emotion. "What's going on here, mate? Why is she listening to that _witch_?"

"Zelena has her heart," he started to explain, offering Hook a hand to help him up. "And as long as she has it, Emma will follow her instructions."

"She also forced her to, to," Mary Margaret interjected, recalling the moment when her baby's heart was ripped from her womb. "To take out her brother's heart for, for ingredients to a powerful potion. She plans on enacting a curse that will turn us all into slaves."

"I-I thought that you couldn't remove the hearts belonging to the products of true love," Hook commented, his eyes widening as panic began to coat his voice. "Aren't they supposed to be _protected_?"

"She tricked Emma into giving it to her by making her believe that she would be protecting the rest of us."

Finally accepting David's hand, Hook pushed himself up to his feet and as he wiped some of the dust and rubble off of his leather coat, he tried to focus on what they were saying. _So_, he thought, _Emma traded her free will in order to save her family and the town_? …_Oh God…this wasn't going to be good_...

"Aye, that sounds like the Emma we know…" Hook whispered, ignoring the dull ache his heart was making. "So, what's the plan? How are we going to rescue her? We can't leave her in the hands of that _green_ monster."

Mary Margaret sadly glanced over at her daughter, who was managing her time between Regina and Zelena, before slightly meeting the former pirate's eyes. "She's keeping her heart somewhere but she didn't mention where. She doesn't want any of us to interfere with her new goal." Averting her gaze, she fought back tears. "What Glinda told us, it's-it's coming true..."

Absentmindedly nodding his head, Hook took a step back so he could look at the controversial scene that was playing out before them. Licking his lips, he then swallowed to relieve the lump in his throat. He had an idea but he wasn't particularly fond of it. There was a way to stop the terror that Emma was unwillingly participating in and it _definitely_ had the potential to save lives, it's just that…it's just that he didn't _want_ to do it.

Gathering all the courage that he'll need in order to do it, Hook muttered a soft response to the couple behind him. "I could kiss her…I could kiss Emma and remove all of her powers…"

**…**

**Stay tuned! :) **


	15. The Breaking Point

**DOUBLE FEATURE! Two chapters for the price of one! :)**

**Sorry for not writing for a while. I was getting the details together.**

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Emma managed to dismantle the barrier before fighting and injuring Regina while Hook quickly made his way into town where he later decided that the only way to stop his love was to kiss her, which would effectively take her powers away.**

**Read and enjoy! :) **

**…**

**Chapter Fifteen: The Breaking Point**

**…**

**"****Y**ou're going to…_what_?!" David asked; half-whispering, half-shouting. "How will you kissing _my_ daughter help us at _all_?"

Regrettably tearing his eyes away from the stationary figure of Emma, Hook glanced over his shoulder at the concerned parents, who were looking at him with mixed expressions. It took him a moment to answer, since multiple things were swirling around in his mind—such as Emma's blank stare, how her heart had been confiscated, what Zelena made her do to her sibling and what he had just said _he'd_ do in order to save the woman he's deeply in love with.

_It was certainly ironic_, he mused despairingly. _The one thing that I have been refusing to do might be our only hope at saving the town_…

Clearing his throat, he turned around to completely face them. "If you recall," he started slowly. "At the loft, I told you how the witch cursed my lips so that the next time _we_, um, _your_ daughter and I, uh, kissed…she would lose her abilities…" Though he had indeed informed them of this earlier, he couldn't hide the nervousness he felt in repeating said fact. Relaying one of his great moments of stupidity and weakness wasn't something that he was overly fond of doing, however, if it had the possibility of helping or bringing the real Emma back...then he was willing to share it a hundred more times.

"…But," Mary Margaret cut in, the tone of her voice slicing through his quiet reverie and causing him to shift his gaze onto her in an automatic fashion. "But if you do that _now_…there's a good chance that Zelena would get _rid_ of her." Looking over at her daughter, she added, softly. "She has been using Emma practically the _entire_ time she's been here and has even admitted to magically _training_ her last night…"

"What do you mean that she has been '_training_ her'?" Hook asked, taken aback. "Training her for what?"

"The _point_ is," Mary Margaret continued, slightly ignoring his comment in order to get to her main argument. "If you kiss her and successfully remove her powers, who knows what she'll do…"

"Aye, but judging from the fact that she had apparently _trained_ her," Hook carried on, placing great emphasis on what was decidedly overlooked. "That could prevent her from harming Emma. She obviously cared enough about her to give her these lessons, so, maybe she would just continue to _wield_ her…? Perhaps controlling the savior is all that she wants?" He was stretching a bit in his view but he was just trying to balance out the scale. He didn't necessarily believe that Zelena would keep Emma without her abilities—her morals weren't that high—but he didn't want to think about it from the opposite perspective. If he was going to go through with this…he needed to believe that Emma would turn out okay.

Shaking her head, she answered him, sternly. "I'm not willing to take that chance. I won't risk her life on those odds."

"Besides," David finally interjected, his voice matching his wife's. "If we _were_ to agree to this plan, which I'm not saying we are…" he stressed in a lower octave. "…How would you get _close_ to her? Zelena would either fling you away _herself_ or have Emma do it to you…_again_…"

Registering their valid points, Hook's eyes widened. Nodding then shaking his head in disbelief, he found himself verbally agreeing with the distraught couple. "Aye, I, uh…I didn't consider that…"

Immediately after his admission, his throat constricted, making him feel the full weight of his inner conflictions. On the one hand, he had the ability and the means to stop her but, on the other, he lacked both the knowledge of what would happen to her if he did _and_ the opportunity to get close to her.

Knitting his brows, he rubbed his chin before turning his attention back over to Emma and the rest of the scene that had been playing on in their absence, effectively ignoring David's direct inquiry of his motives. His eyes wandered; taking and soaking in everything in the distance. It all seemed to be moving in slow-motion, which was understandable—given the extremity of what he had walked in on—and as he mulled a couple of things over, he happened upon a few things.

Emma was no longer approaching the injured and crouched Regina—which probably happened _after_ she had hurled him away—instead, she was standing a few feet from her with her hands casually located at her sides. She wasn't moving at all, only her hair and cape expressed that freedom, making him believe that she was waiting on the orders of Zelena, who, unlike her, had moved. The witch was now closer to her sister and, despite not being able to exactly hear that was being exchanged, Hook could tell that it wasn't a particularly pleasant conversation if he solely based it on the fearful tint in Regina's eyes.

Then, as if following his thoughts, Zelena suddenly addressed them all, her voice ringing clearly out into the streets. "Sorry for the short delay, but we're ready now." Giving them a disturbing smirk, she carried on, determined to make this specific moment a public affair. "Do any of you have any last words to share with your mayor before I have her killed?"

The question was spoken so unapologetically that it sent a chill throughout the remaining people. When nobody spoke up, Zelena looked back at her sister. "I guess that they don't care enough about you to give you even a small dose of comfort…"

Regina didn't answer. She was far too busy trying to gather her jarred senses, _and_ to stand up, but none of that mattered to her older sister, who observed her with a downturn sneer. Then, turning the question onto _her_, in a moment's notice, Zelena twirled the forgotten dagger in her fingers, making the watchful Rumple cringe in the background.

"Do _you_ have any last words for your town, my dear? You have certainly earned them after you lived up to your words of _fighting_ for it. And though it was in vain, I thank you greatly. I counted on having the entertainment being exciting or slightly thrilling, but this, _this_ was…astoundingly stimulating…and the Lord knows how I love a _good_ show…"

Finally acknowledging her by giving her a hard look, Regina glanced up. "…_No_, I don't really have any last words," she stated, dryly. Wincing, she shifted to sit on both of her legs before outlining her shoulder injury with three of her fingers, from the opposite hand, all so she could add a fair amount of pressure to the wound without directly touching it. Blood had begun to saturate her blouse at a heavier rate, making her feel drowsy. "There's no point because I don't plan on dying today…"

At her words, amusement brightened Zelena's face. "I didn't know that you were such a hopeless optimist."

"I'm not, _but_," Regina answered, struggling once again to get up. Noticing that she was relatively close to a car, she crawled her way over to it and tried to balance herself against it. Grasping at the few straws she had left in her arsenal, she knew that she had to stall her sister's deadly plots if she wanted to survive—relying on those who stayed wasn't going to work—but how she was going to do that with little to no magical energy was a mystery.

Sliding up the car on her wobbly legs, completely determined to face her main opponent on her feet, Regina tried to ignore the pain she was enduring long enough to come up with a concrete plan. She couldn't let her aching muscles, throbbing head and quivering calves stop her from living. _Though I would do much better with some stitches and a couple hours of rest_, she bitterly thought, glancing at her shaking knees. _A few minutes of uninterrupted stillness could be just as effective…least I hope so_.

Sighing, Regina eased the side of her body up against the vehicle's door, forcing herself to relax in the stressful situation she was in. _It wouldn't restore all of the energy that I had lost in that stupid, pointless fight, but it could provide me with a way out_…

Meeting the unwavering glare of Zelena with one of her own, she began to stall. "…_But_ I know that killing me won't really solve anything for you in the long run…"

"It's not a matter of solving anything," her sister answered, frankly. "The sight of your limp and lifeless body will just make me feel better. It's all for selfish reasons, really…I'm quite sure that I've already mentioned that, in some form, earlier."

"Let me get this straight," Regina said in a sarcastic tone, slightly lowering her gaze when her lingering adrenaline began to drop. "This entire show you're putting on is just so you can _kill_ me? …_Really_…? That's rather pathetic." Pushing it further, she continued. "Why don't you just summon my heart here and _do_ it yourself? Too scared to get your hands dirty, greenie?"

"It's as if you haven't been paying attention at all," the other commented, rolling her eyes. "In some way, _yes_, your death will solve many problems for me. Your shield, for one, needs to come down in order for my blessed curse to work its magic on everyone _and_…" she paused, glancing up at the crumbling, yet still visible, barrier for a moment. "…Since my esteemed protégé couldn't dismantle it, as planned, destroying you is my next option…and as for being 'too scared'…I _could_ do it myself, but I'd rather be the spectator in this life changing event than the _direct_ infliction."

Smirking, she gestured out to her sides, the dagger gleaming in the light. "Believe me, my dear," she began, going back to the shield. "My original plans weren't so…violent or vulgar. Having a feeling that neither I nor Rumplestiltskin would've been able to bring it down, _blood ties_ or no…_drained_ or not… I was just going to summon you to my home, via your heart, before the cloud took its effect and...simply crush it in front of you…"

"How _considerate_," Regina sneered, the ends of her words laced with upturn growls. Breathing heavily, she then clamped the hand she had been using fully onto her wound. Pushing against it, she groaned bitterly at her own effort to try and stop what seemed to be a never-ending flow of crimson. Slightly bowing her head, she closed her eyes in utter agony, but not before seeing a thin line of blood rolling away and down her arm. The further staining of her blouse irritated her and reflected in her tone. "In similar words to your own…haven't you noticed by now that many have tried to kill me? I've had a lot of enemies and each has certainly given it their best effort…but if _you_ haven't noticed…I'm _still_ here too…"

Tilting her head, Zelena laughed and pointed the tip of the dagger at her. "I know what you're doing…and it's not going to work. I'm quite certain that you've had a healthy amount of people who've hated you and wished you dead, but _I_ shall succeed where they've failed." A dark look then crept onto her face, erasing the previous expression. "_I _will be the last villain that you'll ever face in this life…"

While the sisters continued to converse, Hook and the rest of the crowd easily noticed the weakened stance of their mayor, who was becoming more and more vulnerable with every passing second. They all could see that she was running out of time, but like Regina had already figured, they had no idea how they would be able to help her. All except Hook, who had made his decision sometime during the sisterly exchange…He had to do what he dreaded in order to save everybody.

Further taking in his surroundings, he made a note of everything, big or small. Not only did he want to rescue Regina but he had to make sure that Emma would survive any possible (negative) excursion with Zelena—which would already be a difficult thing to do since the witch _was_ in possession of her heart. _I guess I'll have to deal with that when the time comes_...

His eyes flitted off of and curved around every object before he made a crucial discovery. From his position, he could barely see Zelena because Emma was practically blocking her from him, which meant that from the opposite perspective, she wouldn't be able to see him very well either—not that she would really glance over here since her main priority, right now, was conversing with her sister.

If he acted soon, and before anybody shifted, moved or leaned away from their current location, he would be able to make his way over to Emma and kiss her. Emotionally helpless and vulnerable, Hook shook his head and looked over his right shoulder where he met David's eyes. Lowering his voice so that only they could hear him, he braced himself for what they might say. "I have to do it…I have to do it for her, Henry, the both of you and…" he hesitated, selfishly almost putting himself into the conversation. "…_and_ for Storybrooke…"

"But she—" Mary Margaret began, trying to remind him of what she had told him earlier.

"If I don't," he quickly responded, gesturing over to the three in the street. "We may never see the real Emma again and Regina is as good as dead. With _this_ option, we can even the playing field by saving the latter…"

Shaking her head, she attempted a different approach. "...Glinda…Glinda! S_he_ can help!" And, without even acknowledging the annoyed expression on Hook's face, it was at this moment that she finally noticed that he had arrived by himself. "W-where is she?"

Sighing in exasperation at the mere mention of the Southern Witch, he responded. "She's out perusing a _clue_ she found in the woods with our trusty thief and probably won't be back for some time…"

Hearing the finality in his voice, she stuttered incoherently before looking at David, whose face was etched with worry lines. His thoughts were dark and frantic, but deep inside of him; he did hope that he would get his daughter back and if this could be the only chance they would get…then they should at least try.

Looking at his daughter, he finally spoke. "Alright, do it."

"But it's too risky!" Mary Margaret whispered harshly and with wide eyes.

"Hook's right. We have to do something and if we can remove Emma as a threat, then that will improve our situation." At his wife's mixed expression, he carried on, gently placing his hands onto her shoulders when he turned towards her. "As soon as her powers are gone, we'll do everything in _our_ power to find her heart, but right now, she's…she's too dangerous."

"Then we should do something about Zelena, _not_ Emma," Mary Margaret explained with pleading eyes, suddenly remembering what it was that she was going to suggest earlier to Regina. "Maybe someone can go to her farmhouse and see if she's keeping her heart there…? Or-or," she stuttered, trying to recall the things that she had noticed. "...Get the necklace she's wearing! I've seen her talk to it on certain occasions…maybe that's connected to Emma's heart since she's wearing one too?"

"The necklace is doable but the other would take too long, lass," Hook gently explained as his blood pressure rose—his anxiety was blasting through the roof at the thought of removing Emma's abilities. Briefly looking over at her unresponsive figure a few spaces away, his chest squeezed. "If we're—or if _I'm_—going to do anything…it has to be now…"

Mary Margaret was quiet for a moment. Then, chewing at her bottom lip, she brought her hands to her stomach before looking away with a masked expression. "I guess so…"

Leaning his head back, Hook nodded quietly. It was a difficult decision for her to make without him adding or saying anything more to the conversation, so, now that he had been granted permission, he took a deliberate step into Emma's direction.

Trying not to garner any unwanted attention, he cautiously tipped toed most of the way and was honestly surprised by the quietness he had received from the crowd, since he was sure that none of them knew what he was about to do.

The closer he got, the more nervous he became, especially when he made brief visual contact with Regina, who was still stalling for her life. Her eyes widened in confusion, only for a moment, before she went back to talking to Zelena, who (thankfully) seemed to be oblivious. When Hook was an arm's length away from Emma and slightly _ducked_ down so that he couldn't be seen over her head, he heard the Wicked Witch say something that made his stomach drop.

"Emma, seeing that you have done everything that I've _asked_ of you…I give you the high honor of killing the Evil Queen…"

Coming to life at the mere mention of her name, she turned her head and looked at Zelena, her hands stretching and flexing beside her. Knowing that if he didn't act now, he would be spotted, Hook closed the gap and grabbed her left arm, quickly spinning her around to face him. Her hazel eyes lined up at the base of his neck and though they widened for half of a second, they remained there, unable to look up or away without a command. Upon pulling her close with his handless limb, he whispered her name, his breath completely ragged and full of unspoken emotion when her metallic chest pressed against his.

Gliding his face downward and closing his eyes, he passionately crushed his lips onto hers with an unintentional groan, feeling an intensity of which he had never known with anyone else before. As he separated her bottom lip with his top, he poured his entire soul into the kiss and prayed that she would be able to forgive him in the future; _after_ they had recovered her heart. Though he did his best to savor the feel and taste of the woman he never thought he would be with, like this, again, he was on a sensitive time schedule. So, slowly (and sadly) pulling his face away, he opened his eyes and glanced down at her, hoping to see something different.

At first, he saw nothing. She was still wearing that blank, mind-controlled stare but then, a few moments later, he noticed a flicker of consciousness liven up the area around her eyes. A sigh then passed her lips when she, suddenly and without warning, flicked her gaze up to his, taking away what was left of his breath.

"Swan?" he asked, bringing his hand up to cup her face. He didn't expect her to react like this, but he was glad that she was. "Emma?"

She said nothing but when the corner of her lips tugged into a familiar smile, warmth surged into every direction of his body at her response. He was about to whisk her away to her parents, before Zelena could do or say anything, but something in the background stopped him and it wasn't a noise of anger or frustration…it was glee.

So, following its direction, he found himself looking past Emma and directly into the eyes of the ever watchful Zelena, who was wearing a huge grin. Snickering above an object that she was holding near her face, covering the majority of her chin, his suspicions rose when he saw her whisper into it; her command unintelligible. Immediately getting a bad feeling, he was about to look back down at Emma when he suddenly felt an incredible and powerful blow strike him in his chest, knocking him back and through the air once again. When he made contact with the ground a few feet away, Hook grunted when a sharp pain radiated through and within his right leg

"_Hook_?!" Mary Margaret and David both cried out (amid the overall sounds coming from the crowd), rushing over to him to see if he was badly injured. Inwardly cursing, he managed to roll over to one side, with their help, and when he was able to get into a sitting position, Hook looked over to where he was standing and instantly saw the outstretched hand of Emma—confirming that it _was_ she who magically pushed him away.

_She threw me_, he thought as he struggled to get himself together.

"At ease, Emma...Ohhhh, poor noble Captain Hook," Zelena said, dramatically. Sidestepping for a better view, she clapped her hands together, not even trying to hide her happiness. "I was hoping that you would do this when you arrived…It's still unfortunate that you didn't kiss her when I _asked_ it of you but, as they say, better late than never…"

Completely disregarding the tense burning sensation coursing through him, Hook pushed himself up with David's kind assistance. Upon standing, he glared at Zelena with more than the average amount of anger and puzzlement. "What did _you_ do? You said that—"

"Well, obviously, I removed the curse," she interrupted, candidly. "Seeing the probability of this happening, I took it off late last night. I realized that I wouldn't need it anymore since I have _her_ to do my bidding and it would be…a _terrible_ shame if I didn't protect my well-earned commodity. She's far too precious to _not_ take any precautions." Narrowing her gaze to just Hook, she directed the next part squarely at him. "And this may be a wild conjecture or a crazed assumption to spell out for you, but…even if I _hadn't_ had the foresight to remove it, she would still be under _my_ control, only powerless."

Unable to stop herself, Mary Margaret blurted out what had been bothering her, in a fractured voice. "You, you…would've kept her even if Hook succeeded?"

"Perhaps," Zelena said, pouting. "It all depends on certain factors."

"…Such as?"

"My mood, my tolerance, my patience, etc., etc.," she answered with a wave of her free hand.

Trying to establish his posture, Hook worked with his new injury by putting the majority of his weight onto his right leg. He wasn't even about to admit to himself that she had just mentioned _one_ of the reasons why they were so hesitant in trying it ,in first place, because it would make him feel more foolish then he did at the moment. Not even bothering to hide the venom in his voice, he spat his words out, at the witch, in spades. "You can't reprimand me for at least trying to save her from _you_. I'm willing to risk my life for Emma and what you're forcing her to do is nothing less than your desperate attempts to become somebody different, to not stand in your own skin long enough to realize your unworthiness!"

"If you call that a rescue attempt then you may wish to improve your tactics," she asserted with a leer and slit-like eyes. Hook, Mary Margaret and David could all see that she was biting her tongue against the former's piercing statement, despite trying to calm herself down with the powerful inhale that followed. In a fake serene voice, she then continued. "But, on the other hand, I do think that this demonstration proved at least _one_ valuable thing…the remote possibility of a true love's kiss working on the _heartless_ is next to zero, even if she is a _product_ with untold abilities…"

About to turn back towards her sister, she ended their conversation with a simple suggestion. "Reflect on that, Captain…"

He couldn't help _not_ to. Miserably clenching his jaw together, he silently acknowledged that he didn't think about that. He didn't think about it because he was too worried about protecting her and Storybrooke, but even if he had, it probably wouldn't have mattered anyway. The proof _and_ end result would've been similar to what had happened in New York.

The liveliness he had seen around her eyes was just the manipulation of Zelena…and nothing more…

Mid-way through the unexpected scene with Hook, Regina started to feel much better. Appreciating the distraction that they had unintentionally given her, it allowed her dripping blood enough time to congeal beneath the compression of her hand, making her energy level climb while, also, slightly improving both her stance and overall soreness. Testing her strength, she moved away from the car and was happy to find that she was no longer in need of its stability. Exhaling, she tried not to draw too much attention to herself before it was time.

She had to do something. Hook had tried to take Emma's powers away—apparently—through a curse Zelena had put on him but, unfortunately, her sister was right. It wouldn't have worked. As long as she was holding Emma's heart, the savior was still under her influence and in danger. After standing still for a couple of seconds, an idea popped into her head, a bold and risky one, but one nonetheless.

Knowing that her first priority was to protect the remaining bystanders, she further developed and molded her thoughts to accommodate it and when she was about ready to put it into motion, she saw that her sister was on the verge of turning back towards her. Not about to waste any time, she stepped into action, but was immediately spotted by Zelena, who angrily cried out her name.

"REGINA!"

Focusing, she lifted each hand up and out, her palms facing away, before summoning some of her restored magic to help construct two separate barriers around the sidewalks. The lengths encompassed several blocks for maximum protection till the tips bent inward, enclosing and bathing the pathways in a purplish hue. When they were efficiently sectioned off, Regina then ordered everyone to stand behind it in a firm tone and, without any questions, they quickly did what she demanded—all except Hook, Mary Margaret and David, who had to slowly back their way into one out of consideration for their injured party member.

When the trio was safe, Regina bolted forward, using pure momentum to first charge at Zelena then grab at her neck. Hugging her right hand's fingers comfortably around her sister's throat, she tried to push her down but that effort was too much for her to do. Liking the fact that Emma wasn't attacking—which she wasn't complaining about, it was just weird since Zelena mentioned at one point that she would protect her "_no matter what_"—she ended up struggling with her sister for dominance when she desperately tried to peel Rumple's dagger away from her. During the skirmish, she thought about ripping her heart out but when her eyes fell upon the pale green necklace Zelena wore about her neck, Regina immediately changed tactics.

Being extremely careful with the pointy weapon, she slipped the fingers that were already on her throat in a downward motion, stopping only when she was holding a healthy amount of the jewelry in her hand. Pulling hard, she brought Zelena's face inches away from hers, doing her best to snap it off, but it wouldn't budge.

"I've seen you talk into this," Regina said, harshly. "You used a spell or some sort of _tonic_ that would connect this item to wherever you're keeping Emma's heart, _didn't_ you?"

Zelena couldn't respond to the question because of both the sudden force Regina had used when she had yanked on her and the tightness that was being issued around her neck. Her green eyes widened when her knees began to click together, the shaking of which almost collapsing her once proud stature to the street floor. Unable to focus on using her abilities, she casted her vision sideways where she could see most of the people cheering Regina on in her rather mundane venture at killing her—or at the very least, rendering her unconscious—but when she moved her sight upwards, she saw the still figure of Emma, who was still facing in the direction Hook had spun her into.

"Mm," she coughed out, trying to clear her vocal passage. It was strange that her protégé hadn't made some sort of effort to jump in and save her, like she was programmed to. _The kiss_, she reasoned instantly. _That kiss must've affected her in some way…damn_!

But despite her rather timely and bleak thoughts, her chance at surviving her ordeal came moments later when one of her knees buckled, graciously providing Zelena with some much needed breathing room on the way down. And as soon as the air made contact with her lungs, her voice boomed out, of the choke hold, on a raspy exhale. "EMMA! ASSIST ME _NOW_!"

Immediately hearing her, the blonde turned and "noticed" what was happening. Seeing Regina standing in an awkward angle because of Zelena's shrunken position, she pulled herself together by closing in on the pair, and when she was upon them, Emma lifted up a hand, specifically eying the now loosen grip of her former tutor. Then, with a simple finger wave, she honed her abilities on Regina's wrist, straining and coercing it till a loud snapping noise broke the sound barrier.

"Ah!" was all that Regina gasped out when she instinctually pushed her sister away from her. Nursing her new injury by pressing it against her chest, she barely had enough time to react when suddenly, she found herself being hurled back into the direction she had come from, but instead of ending up beside the car, she was magically tossed _into_ it. Regina's back slammed into the windshield, causing the impact zone to shatter, before she rolled off of it, crashing her right shoulder onto the rigid street below. Though she had managed to protect her wrist, she was now in severe, debilitating pain. Forehead on the ground, she turned it inward, towards her shoulder, when she began to feel the full effects of her various injuries—completely unaware of the slowly approaching Emma.

"_REGINA_!" Mary Margaret cried out, the loudest voice of all those who were bellowing out their concerns.

"Oh God," Belle stated; flitting her gaze from one participant to the next, all the while still being confined by the dismal Leroy.

"We have to help her!" Hook followed. He even tried to step outside of the shield he was behind, his leg feeling much better, but Red tugged onto one of his arms, minimally pulling his focus away.

"We can't! It's not safe. Emma and Zelena are too powerful!"

"I won't hide here like a coward when—" But he was then cut off when their said protection began to flicker, dangerously, alerting them all to the possibility of them being re-exposed and when the purple borders, surrounding them, indeed began to fade, their eyes widened in absolute horror. However, their expressions only doubled when the _huge_ barrier that was about Storybrooke quickly followed suit.

"_No_," David commented, a chill sweeping up his spine when their crumpling protection vanished in a shimmering motion.

They then all looked over at the balled up Regina. They could all see that she was clinging on by a thread, especially after receiving that new impairment by Emma, but when both David and Hook tried to make their way over to her, they were stopped dead in their tracks by a recovering Zelena, who glared at them with a hand raised.

Her throat was damaged but she still had the ability to speak in low and harsh tones. "Emma," she said without looking at her, her voice extremely raspy. "Kill Regina and make it _painful_. I'll handle the other inhabitants of this pathetic little town…" With a growl, she shook her free hand to-and-fro, creating a burning stream of green fire that she then shoved out at the audience, in both street directions, effectively blocking the people from interfering when it straightened itself out in a flaming, serrated line. Laughing, she kept her attention focused on the screaming, skittish crowd, basically leaving her protégé to do what she would not, alone.

Vacantly acknowledging the command, Emma stopped moving and brought her left hand up to her eye level, her gloved palm open and facing her. Taking a deep breath, her eyes zoomed in on Regina hotly, and since she had been forcibly ordered to remember and use her rage in these types of fights, the area around them livened up considerably. With that in mind, the black light spurted from her tips and covered her hand in its light before she deliberately began to close her fingers, the gradual motion sparking her magic's growth.

Suddenly, Regina could feel her already unbearable agony begin to escalate when her chest tightened, her stomach turned queasy and a splitting headache pummeled around her temples. Quickly propping herself up with her left hand, to see what was happening; Regina instantly saw Emma's choice of a weapon. _I can't believe Zelena taught her that_, she fearfully thought. _She's going to crush me...from the inside_!

Silently cursing, she could feel her bones begin to shake uncomfortably, especially near the base and middle of her spine. Groaning, she fell back down to the ground, incapable of maintaining her upright position when the uncomfortable sensation transformed into an intolerable one—increasing her new symptoms tenfold. Her lungs squeezed under the unnatural impact, causing spots to appear before her eyes and when she was on the brink of passing out, a wheezy breath escaped her mouth. _Is this what it feels like to have your heart crushed_? She found herself musing, as images of her past started to flash before her eyes but when pictures of Robin began to flow in, she closed them tightly, not wanting to feel any more pain. _I never got to tell him the truth…that_ _I_—

Then a collection of shouts and cries of concern sprung out around her, all of which were undeterminable to her dulling ears.

"No, Emma, STOP!"

"Please, no!"

"You can't do this!"

"Regina!"

Blood began to seep from her mouth and her wound, which had been reopened by the incredible pressure Emma was giving to her, but that was the least of her problems—she was about to die in the streets of Storybrooke by none other than their _savior_; however, before she could be completely grabbed by the throes of death, a sharp, ear-splitting sound shook the air in front of her.

Unexpectedly, the crushing agony then disappeared, as if somebody had pressed the on/off button. Able to inhale a good amount of air, she found the strength to lift her head up and what she saw actually made her thankful.

Emma was no longer standing with her (almost) clenched fist because, instead, she had been knocked over by an unforeseeable force, which had ultimately saved Regina's life. Wide eyed, she looked around to find the source of her gratitude, which led her to the middle of the street, a little ways from her; on her right.

_Well, she's finally here_, Regina thought with mixed emotions, doing her best not to submit to the threatening darkness that was still plaguing her due to her blood loss.

Wand and crossbow prepared, Glinda and Robin had finally made their way to the commotion—surprisingly unseen—where they had barely witnessed Regina being tortured by a controlled Emma. Unwilling to allow it to continue, Glinda had shot a healthy sized blast at the attacker, which was just enough to stop and carefully bring her down.

Sparing a glance at the stunned Emma and the distracted Zelena before using the last few moments of their anonymity, Glinda waved her wand upwards, which, simultaneously, cooled down the two ruthless fires _and_ replaced Regina's protective sidewalk barriers with her own.

At the sight of the blazing pink magic, the Wicked Witch's attitude changed. Snapping her head around to see in front of her, she finally noticed her fallen puppet, the heavy breathing (but alive) Regina and the two newcomers—the latter being the most important to her.

"Glinda?!" she shrieked, almost dropping the dagger in her hands, which would've been wonderful for the observant Rumple, who had been quietly dealing with his own injury in the background. As soon as he saw the Southern Witch, though, he moved closer, his interests peaked.

Hook, David and Mary Margaret sighed in minor relief while the rest followed Rumple's example, particularly Leroy, whose grip slackened around Belle's arms.

"Nice to see you again, Zelena," Glinda replied, eyes narrowing. "Having _fun_ are we? You always did like tormenting those around you, directly or indirectly."

"How the hell did you get out?!" she bellowed, her face twisting in rage. "You were never supposed to break free from that realm!" Summoning a green ball into one of the palm of her hands, she was about to shoot it out but Robin reacted first. Already poised and ready, he eyed his target and released an arrow that would've pierced the middle of her chest IF she didn't stop it.

Magically holding the single shot, Zelena gave him a sneer. "I always thought that you were an idiot but this not only proves it…" she trailed off, firing a glance down at Regina. "…It also endangers the _apple_ of your eye." Twirling then flicking a finger, she knowingly sent the arrow into the direction of her sister, who wouldn't have the time or energy to get out of the way, at full blast.

Robin's face and weapon lowered at his mistake but when he tried to come to his love's aid, he barely moved a few inches when he was suddenly grabbed at the shoulder and pulled back by Glinda. She then, with the same outstretched hand and concentrated expression, easily deterred the missile-like object _over_ the car and _into_ the shield behind Regina, which disintegrated it on contact.

Amid the disappointed and hoarse screams of the Wicked Witch, Glinda nodded in the crumpled mayor's direction while addressing Robin in a firm tone. "I'll deal with her while you go collect Regina and seek refuge behind the nearest border." Despite his obvious desires, he was about to argue with her, however, she dismissed him with a sharp look and repeated her order—her intention clear. Willingly swallowing his gentleman-like tendencies, he looked in Zelena's direction before sprinting over to Regina, who he carefully tried to maneuver into his arms after placing his weapon down beside him.

Uninterested in her sister and her rescuer, at this particularly moment, Zelena's eyes hardened on both her arch enemy _and_ the wand she was carrying. _This was impossible. She shouldn't be here. It's unfair! ...I won't allow her to ruin my life again_!

"You're _too_ late," Zelena spat out in lieu of her thoughts. "The curse will be here soon, especially now that Regina's shield has failed."

"Don't sell me short for I can always construct another one myself."

"Oh, but you won't be _able_ to...and _not_ on the account that it'll drain your energy, like it did hers…You'll be too distracted," she responded harshly and mysteriously. Inhaling deeply, slightly irritating her throat, she then barked at Emma to get to her feet, which she struggled to obey, making Hook's heart and feet jerk forward a bit. Twisting to her side, Emma pushed herself up, despite the sore shoulder Glinda gave her, and revealed a small cut on her left cheek. Closing in on her, Zelena then quickly told her to heal her throat and herself, so that they could "both" deal with the new situation at hand.

A tuff of black light floated from Emma's finger and onto the multiple injuries, surprising the Southern Witch, who was watching from her position. Then, thinking about her next move, she looked around her. She knew that she could make another shield over Storybrooke, but she was more focused on saving Emma and everybody else to actually considerate it.

"Now that _that_ is settled," Zelena announced, her voice restored and cutting through Glinda's silent musings. "Emma," she said with a snarl, making the young woman redirect her blank stare back onto her. "Your orders have changed. Instead of killing _my_ baby sister, I charge you with the grand honor of murdering Glinda…"

"Your fight is with _me_," Glinda stated angrily, her boots clicking against the ground when she walked forward. "Don't make her or any other person fight _your_ battles. You wanted _this_…so, _finish_ it on your own!"

"Why do that when I have subjects to do it _for_ me?" Gesturing to both Emma and Rumple, she continued, her tone now light. "That's what real power is, my_ Sister of the Order_…_Control_ is the only way to make people really respect you." Lowering her voice, but maintaining eye contact with her foe, she whispered "go" to puppet before taking a couple steps back, her features constricted.

Heeding her, Emma turned her face and body into Glinda's direction before lifting her hands, which she then covered in her dark, foreboding, black light; seconds later.

**…**

**Enjoy the next chapter! **


	16. The Epic Showdown

**Second part of the Double Feature!**

**Summary of the Previous Chapter: MAGICAL FIGHTS!**

**There's definitely a lot more action in this section! Read and enjoy! :) **

**Author note: There was a minor edit done on 3/7/16—3/9/15! **

**…**

**Chapter Sixteen: The Epic Showdown**

**…**

**T**he Southern Witch prepared herself against the upcoming attack with a twirl of her wand, an outstretched hand and the slight bending of her knees. She didn't want to hurt Emma and if she could, she would simply use mild, defensive procedures—like she did earlier with the shoulder graze—but if more force was necessary, then she would have to consider them.

Testing the waters with her, similar to the strategy she had used against Regina, Emma interrupted Glinda's thoughts with a series of blasts, each more potent than the last, but just like her former mentor, they were easily deflected. Not wasting any time, she bent her elbows and lowered her hands before summoning a massive black ball in-between her palms. Waiting till it grew to the size of a basketball, she then thrust it out, which created a large, rough streak of dark light behind it when the main portion bounced from one side to the other; doing its best to distract and pull away from its true path.

When it was right in front of her, Glinda charged ahead and expertly dodged it with a simple but graceful turn, her feet nimbly untangling itself, beneath her, as soon as she finished. Appearing as if she was going to go toe-to-toe with Emma, the small crowd pressed closer to the borders, completely enthralled at what they were seeing, despite their better judgment. Breathing shallowly, Hook watched Emma reciprocate with a lunge of her own, sweeping all of her blonde hair behind and over her shoulders in that one speedy motion, but when they both neared one another, Glinda made a cross-gesture in front of her before disappearing into a puff of pink smoke, which subsequently engulfed the seemingly dazed blonde.

Looking around and slowing to a halt, Emma eyed every car and every building but couldn't seem to locate or find the other witch. Carefully moving forward with her gaze roaming over everything, once again, for cautionary measures, she failed to notice that her opponent had stealthily reappeared behind her in the same billow of magic. Still not interested in fighting against _her_, Glinda gingerly lifted up her wand and judiciously aimed it, quickly selecting a part of her that wouldn't be easily affected like the rest. Releasing a light, but tenacious, stream of energy, she struck Emma in one of her shoulders, again, which harmlessly pushed her back down to the street floor in a heap.

"_Please_, be careful!" Mary Margaret shouted, her heart pounding hard and fast. After habitually rubbing her stomach, she then grabbed David's hand, who readily reciprocated with a protective jerk. "Just…just be careful!"

After nodding at them, confirming that she had heard their plea, Glinda gave Emma a brief glance before turning around to confront the glowering Zelena, who had backed up more in the last second than she had in _all_ of the conflicts.

"Give me her heart," she threatened, pointing her long, glowing weapon at her with a tilt of her head. "Or I'll do what I should've done back at Oz."

"What? You'll _kill_ me?" Zelena replied with a shrug, her face losing some of its biting edge. "I doubt that. It goes against your code."

"My code is limited towards my friends, victims and helpful acquaintances. _You_ belong in no such category, least not anymore. _You_ did that of your own volition."

"I simply realized my potential," she answered back with a sneer. Using Rumple's dagger to point at her, she then continued. "_You_ were the one who was holding me back the entire time out of pure selfishness and now look at you," she paused, looking at her modern garb with disgust. "You have fallen from your lofty position and it didn't take much...I _put_ you in that realm and I can do it again."

"You _tricked_ me," Glinda corrected with narrowed eyes, her lavender tint darkening. "But we will deal with our history later. _Presently_, I'm here to rebuild what you have already begun to destroy. Storybrooke is not yours for the taking and neither are the other realms!"

Hating the idea of being dismissed by the likes of her, she ignored the majority of what was just said and carried on with what _she_ had brought to the conversation, her main objective and goal in mind was to _distract_. "In fact, I think that you haven't learned your lesson." When Glinda gave her a puzzled and annoyed expression, she gave her a malicious smile. "I think that you are so greedy in your own pursuits of redemption and perfection that you're too blind to see that _you're_ the one using the poor Swan…"

"I'm _using_ her?" Glinda questioned incredulously, finding it odd that she was spewing this type of irony at her. "And _you're_ not? You took her heart!"

"I've accepted my position as the villain, but you…_you_ are one who likes to hide in the shadows…Do you want to know another theory I have?"

"...My stars," Glinda breathed out, inwardly groaning in frustration. "How I have forgotten how you like to monologue and give useless speeches. Don't turn your failures on me. I tried to assist you in any way possible but my help and words weren't powerful enough to sway you."

Averting her eyes, but not enough to attract Glinda's attention, Zelena noticed that Emma had begun stirring and was attempting to stand up all on her own. _Good, her training is kicking in_, she mused happily before returning her gaze. "My opinion is that you _need_ Emma for something, like you did me, something important; otherwise, you probably wouldn't be fighting this hard. I mean, you went against your Sisters in order to _acquire_ me and look what happened…so…" she trailed off, inquisitively. "What do you need my _puppet_ for? Do you need her to possibly reclaim your homeland…? …To…_restore_ Oz to its former, old, dull _glory_?"

Gut tightening, Glinda hesitated. Zelena had definitely struck a nerve, which forced her to recall what the Ice Queen had said to her in the forest as well as her own, personal thoughts, on the matter, when Emma didn't awaken the crystal at back the loft. She would be the first to admit that she has always been rather overzealous where her senses are concerned, but that was because they had never failed her...minus the Northern Crystal incident…

Mentally bringing herself back to reality, she lifted her wand higher, stanchly reaffirming its location at Zelena with the gesture, which appeared to have shocked the witch. _I guess she wasn't counting on me quickly recovering from her intentional spite_…But her victory was short because, in that same moment, her senses began to act up by stinging and ringing in both of her ears and in her head.

"Watch out, Glinda!" David then called out, confirming that something definitely was wrong.

Immediately looking behind her, she saw that Emma had recovered from the innocent shove she gave and was about to use her magic at her, but before she could even prepare or twirl her wand, she spotted Zelena's defensive posture.

Now knowing that everything said, though true, was a diversion _and_ that she would have to engage the _both_ of them, Glinda shifted, turning so that she would be able to see the pair without craning her neck. When a green light appeared in the corner of her right eye and a black one appeared in the corner of her left, she bent backwards, showing the range of her flexibility when both missed and almost struck the owner of the other shot.

Smoothly regaining her height, Glinda held her own against the two by ducking and weaving, quickly establishing, among the onlookers, what a proficient combatant she was by professionally managing her time with one individual _than_ the other, which constantly caused her to twist and move about since she was fighting them on opposite sides. Feeling the day waning, Zelena grunted in anger, her powers seemingly unequal when compared to her former Sister, who was obviously driven to thwart her plans at any cost. Wiping her forehead, she stopped her assault and spun around to face the forgotten Rumple, who had been watching with a bemused expression.

Lifting up the dagger she had impressively managed to hold onto, her lip curled into a deadly sneer. "I need _more_ power!" she bit out, desperate to overpower the Southern Witch. "I order you to help me!"

Having no other choice _but_ to join in, he raised a hand and unleashed a robust and crushing stream of gold light, which blind-sighted the agile Glinda by striking her in the right shoulder, almost causing her to drop _her_ wand.

"RUMPLE, STOP!" Belle screamed, beating her fists down onto the reinforced arms of Leroy in an effort to get free. Tears sprung from her eyes when she tried to grab at the people next to her, desperately clawing at the arms of Red and another dwarf in order to escape the border.

"Belle…_Belle_, stop it!" Leroy cried, doing his best to prevent her from endangering herself. "Keep this up and I'll take you back to the Diner!"

Still struggling, her nails accidently scratched his hand's skin, making him mumble and curse loudly. "_NO_! Let me go!" she then shrieked when he began heaving her down the street, taking her into the direction of the place he had used in his threat, but when she grabbed ahold his thumb and "unintentionally" bent it back, he let out a yelp and disentangled himself from her, allowing her to find her way onto the street.

"_Belle_!" David and Red both cried out, each about to bolt from their safe haven to save her, but once again, the people found themselves unable to help when Glinda had, unexpectedly, stepped in.

Ignoring the cluster of tingles she felt climbing up her shoulder and into her neck, she outstretched her wand hand and leveled it in front of her, in a horizontal fashion, before quickly swinging it broadly to her right side, emitting a formidable shock wave of pink energy that clipped Emma and threw both Zelena and Rumple back a few feet.

Sighing loudly, she then noticed—after turning her head to readdress Emma—that somebody had made their way out of the shield. So, with a gentle and practiced hand, she magically shooed her back inside and, into the arms of Red, before redefining the border with another layer of energy that would stop anyone else from escaping.

Feeling the effects of maintaining two borders and the extensive amount of magic she had used that day without any proper rest, Glinda tried to finish the trio off in one fell swoop. As soon as they had all regained their footing or bearings, she ambushed them one at a time, but all within seconds of the predecessor. Seeing Rumple in her peripheral vision, she went after him first by, solidly, pointing the tip of her wand at him, which magically shoved the Dark One down to the ground. A gasp passed his lips, but when he managed to get into a kneeling position, he resolutely held back, both unwilling and uninterested in reengaging with the daunting Southern Witch, especially when Zelena was the next person on her list.

Rotating around, she noted her weakening stature and exploited it by issuing out a couple of rapid stunners, which were tiny, bullet-like sparks of light that flew at her in different bodily areas. Blocking some, but missing the majority of them, Glinda effectually began to chew away at the other witch's already deteriorating energy, portion-by-portion, through the concept of overwhelming her. When Zelena could barely hold the dagger properly in her hand, which caused Rumple to stir in excitement, she delivered the final blow with a flick of her wrist, shooting a sphere-shaped ball into the red-head's stomach that was so intense that it sent her straight to her knees.

Lastly, she then shifted her attention back over to Emma, who had been gathering a small amount of black energy in her hands, in order to protect Zelena, but when she saw her commander crumple in defeat, she expanded the pool of light to a sizable orb with a mere flex of her fingers. Seconds to her propelling it into her direction, Glinda tried to think of a good, effective way to shake her up without really _harming_ her and when a wild idea came to mind, she immediately acted on it, not wanting to rethink her decision. Once again, she aimed her wand at the young woman, but instead of striking her in the shoulder or anywhere else, she released a sharp, audible wave that instantly immersed, then passed through, the top half of Emma the moment it had reached her.

When the sound poured in and consumed every open crevice it could find, the powers she had been displaying disappeared. Hoping that it would snap her out of Zelena's grip, Glinda kept going and didn't plan on stopping till she showed some signs of life, will and/or independence.

Blinking rapidly because of the piercing sound, Emma tried to block it out by shutting her eyes but when that didn't work; she slowly brought her hands up to her ears and clamped down on them. Bowing her head, she then squatted low to the street floor, slightly hunched over her knees in an effort to escape the invisible attack but Glinda didn't let up, she kept it going, determined to see something more significant or informative.

"Emma!" Hook cried out, banging on the now fortified border with his hook so he could try to get to her, but when it wouldn't yield to him, he pleaded to its maker with a noticeable hitch in his voice. "Glinda, stop it! Stop it _now_!"

He was soon followed by her parents and a couple of nameless others, who were concerned for Emma's well-being, and when an outcry, of loud proportions, had circulated in every which way, successfully surrounding her…Glinda, against her better judgment, ceased her mild onslaught by diminishing the flow and lowering her wand down to her side—but before she could either check on her or take a step into her direction, Emma recovered and abruptly popped her head up where she then fired a powerful, thick stream of hot energy at her.

Swallowing down her ire, she defended herself by managing to construct a well-placed, medium-sized shield, which she struggled against, all the while keeping a constant and watchful eye on Rumple and Zelena—the latter, of the two, was still crouched and breathing raggedly.

Seeing the toil begin to affect Glinda, Regina, who had been recuperating behind the other border with Robin, knew that she had to do something. She had already regained some of her magic—not a whole lot, but enough—and though she had a patched up shoulder (or a cloth firmly smothering her wound) and a makeshift tourniquet wrapped tightly around her broken wrist…Regina believed that she could be of some use. Pressing her uninjured, but height-challenged, left hand against the double-layered boundary, she tried to figure a way to get through it.

"Regina, what are you doing?" Robin asked, moving to stand beside her. He had been keeping a close eye on both her and the battle, so he could tell that she was planning on doing something, especially when her eyes were fixed securely _on_ the border and her mouth was in a straight line. Removing then placing Hook's stuffed satchel down by the wall of a building, he continued speaking to her, but more calmly. "You should be resting, not thinking about doing what I think you're thinking about…"

Half-smiling at his clever way of phrasing their mutual perspective, she slowly looked over her shoulder at him. "I have to get back out there. Glinda needs help."

"You can't! You're too weak," he said, moving to stand behind her. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he gently tried to guide her away but she resisted; her footing extremely firm for somebody who had suffered the way she had. "Besides, she appears to be handling the situation..."

"So, you're an expert on magic?" she asked, giving him a sideways glance.

"Not exactly," he responded honestly. Dropping his chin down to her shoulder, he tightened his hold, voice suddenly thickening. "I just don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Touched, she found herself leaning into him for a brief moment before firming her resolve. Glimpsing back at Glinda, she cleared her throat and slightly pulled away from him. "I understand that you're worried about me but I can handle myself now. I feel," she hesitated. "I feel…better."

Closing his eyes, he was quiet for a moment before relenting to her wishes, knowing that arguing with her was pointless. Sluggishly releasing her, after pressing a kiss to her temple, his hands gently glided off of her stomach when he took a step back, giving her some space. Warmed by Robin's decision to trust her, she could feel her energy increase by a significant amount and, without looking over at him, not wanting to see his crushed expression, she summoned a thin amount of her powers to cover the inside of her palm before using her whole arm to help push against the border. Through unwavering concentration and breathing deeply, her hand first buckled then slipped through the protective element, which subsequently glimmered around her entire form the moment she fully walked out.

Guarding her injuries, she observed the now standing Emma, who was still issuing her stream of magic, and waved her available hand in front of her, which conjured and produced a thin rope, to appear, a few feet above the blonde's wrists. Snapping some of her fingers down, she ordered the item to wrap itself tightly around Emma's hands, fastening them together and, ultimately, stopping her assault against the strawberry blonde, who instantly dismissed her personal shield.

As Emma's focus turned to her new bindings, it provided Regina the necessary distraction to go after her sister, who was attempting to stand up on her shaky legs. Still thinking about retrieving the necklace, so _she_ could have "control" over Emma—least till they find her heart—she directed her hand over to Zelena and outlined the piece of jewelry, with her magic, before trying to yank it off again. Immediately figuring out her plan, however, her sister turned her angry glare onto her and blasted some of her recovered energy at her, which she effectively dodged with another wave.

Brushing her hand back, she tried again to remove it but it stubbornly hung on as if it was enchanted to do just that—that or it had a _really_ strong clasp—so, changing her strategy, she honed in all of her energy onto the ornament itself and clenched her fist, essentially doing what Emma tried to do to her earlier: _crush_ it. The jewel buckled underneath her power before cracking, splitting the pale green into mini hair-like fractures and, not to mention, damaging the source of the long distance communication between the witch and her puppet.

"_No_!" Zelena screamed, wildly gesturing at it. Looking up, she was about to cry out to Emma for help but Regina was seconds away from stopping that line of contact as well. Enjoying this very much, she silenced her sister with a wide, strip of magical bandage, which fit nicely around the lower half of Zelena's face, making it impossible for her to reach out to anyone in her desperate struggles.

"That was long overdue," Regina announced after accessorizing the mouth piece with a suitable body rope that made her collapse back down to the ground in a bundle. Hearing the excited cries from the confined people, particularly Mary Margaret and Robin, she took a couple steps towards a thankful Glinda and was about say something to her before retrieving and returning Rumple's dagger, among other things, when her right peripheral vision caught a startling glimpse of what Emma was now doing. She had stopped fretting over the piece of rope because she had calmly managed to _disentangle_ herself from it, via unknown means, and was now lifting her hands back up in order to attack them..._again_—probably because of what had just been done to Zelena.

"Shit," Regina muttered while Glinda exhaled in an unladylike fashion. "Today just hasn't been _my_ day," she continued, raising her own limb up to prepare for another lethal encounter. Not only was she about to fight side-by-side with a person she had sworn revenge against, but she was about to reengage into a battle with a likely _and_ unlikely rival—it was a complicated situation all the way around.

"Likewise," Glinda answered, pointing her noticeably dulled wand at her vacant-faced opponent. "Least there's _two_ of us," she began before looking at the injuries the other woman had sustained. "Well…one _and_ a half…"

Rolling her eyes, Regina could hardly respond back since Emma used that precise moment to unleash, with both hands, two powerful jets of black magic at them. With each magically holding one, a few feet away, they watched as Emma split her attention, _not_ her energy, between them both, making them silently wonder how Zelena had managed to get her so professionally focused in less than a day of training.

Fading fast, Regina tried to deflect it away from her body but the current was too strong to bend, so, in a moment of curiosity, she glanced over at Glinda, who appeared to thinking the same thing. Groaning under the pressure and feeling herself becoming dizzy, she dropped her pride, where their past history was concerned, and steadied her voice. "What are we going to do?"

Surprised by the inquiry itself and the fact that she was asking for her opinion, the strawberry blonde furrowed her arched brows. She honestly didn't know _what_ to do. This already dangerous situation was escalating and becoming more precarious with every passing minute they spent fighting off Emma instead of locating _her_ missing heart _and_ stopping the impending curse. Then, as if ignited by her thoughts, Glinda's senses suddenly nipped and flared when she mind naturally wandered away from her increasing problems to her _main_ one: Zelena.

Mouth dropping, she looked over her right shoulder and noticed that the Wicked Witch had also managed to rid herself of her ties. Eyes widening, she responded back to Regina by shouting a warning over to her before using her wand-less hand to set up a large precautionary shield, enough for two people, behind them.

Passed the points of wrath, mounting disappointment and frustration, Zelena had freed herself from the purple magic with her pure rage, all the while mulling over the bizarre and unexpected turn of events. _This was supposed to be my moment! It was supposed to be one of my steps to glory_! Inwardly bawling, she flashed her green eyes over the two people she hated the most in complete and utter disdain, but when Glinda looked over at her and established eye contact, though fleeting it may have been, it caused her feelings to grow and solidify. Curling her reinvigorated powers around her fingers, she shot her arms up and released the energy into the sky above them in a massive sleet of emerald green light, which ominously reflected off of the dagger that she was still gripping in one hand.

Gaining the attention of Regina and Glinda, who both didn't expect that, Zelena looked up at the hovering collection of smoke before waving her hands in front of her, summoning and teleporting something through the heavy, thick billow. Screeching sounds then filled the air when monkey after monkey began to pour out, making everybody there cringe in surprise and fright.

They soon filled every direction, thanks to their aimless flying, slightly blotting out the sun with their flapping wings and snapping teeth, but when their mistress ordered them to go after her enemies, who she boldly named, they unexpectedly organized their beady, striking eyes onto the selected targets.

"Double shit," Regina cursed, hating the never-ending pile of crises.

Nodding her head, Glinda dropped the shield and agreed to the sentiment with a groan; however, it was cut short when another idea struck her. "I'll handle this," she said, fully aware that the creatures had begun to dive straight for them. Looking first at the beams Emma was still emitting _then_ at the fast approaching primates, she overtook the stream Regina had been stabilizing with a careful nudge to her side (totally mindful of her delicate condition), which combined the two jets into one. Twirling her wand at an upward angle, she cast the trajectory away from her and straight up at the monkeys, hitting them in a sprinkler-like motion.

Killing and/or injuring a good portion of the swarm would've been hard to tell without the majority of them disappearing into thin air—to which she silently apologized for, since some of the people were unwillingly transformed—but as soon as Zelena noticed and shouted for Emma to stop, her line of defense vanished as quickly as it came, leaving them utterly vulnerable since, sadly, the monkeys, themselves, _weren't_ called off.

Too stubborn to give up though, Glinda ordered Regina to back away, which she did, and then transformed her wand into a staff, its last stage of the distinguished three. Zelena made a face at the action, but it went unheeded since Glinda was too busy concentrating on her position's element. Elegantly spinning it around her waist, shoulders, neck then head, she lifted it high above her, till it was at arm's length, and coiled it around, in a hurried rhythm, before allowing the wind to pour out of the tip. While whispering a spell, she created and controlled a huge cyclone, which she then manipulated by sucking in large quantities of the squawking monkeys before reversing its order and spitting them back out, propelling them far and into distances unknown.

While she was performing this incredible feat, Regina was doing her best to keep a watchful eye on Emma and Zelena, but when her attention moved onto her sister, she wasn't prepared for the former's retaliation.

Following an unnoticed verbal order from the Wicked Witch, when her sister's eyes were elsewhere, Emma then flung Regina between two parked cars (Robin, wide eyed, cried out and continuously banged against the pink barrier) before swerving her blank stare onto Glinda, which earned a loud cry from the crowd, who were trying to alert the Southern Witch. Unable to hear them over her own devise, it allowed Emma to shoot a hot, flaming steak of dark light at her, which forcefully struck the strawberry blonde squarely in the thigh.

Thrown off balance by the hit, Glinda dropped her wand, behind her and in mid-twirl, before falling, where she luckily landed on her knees in a normal, forward position. Unaware of what exactly had happened—since her senses were being pulled into two different directions at the time—she looked over her shoulder at Emma, who was warily making her way towards her, and realized that she, as well as Regina, had been ambushed.

Lunging forward, Zelena suddenly cried out. "Emma! _Get_ the wand! ...Get her _staff_!"

Eyes wide, Glinda tried to act quickly. Magically shoving Zelena back a few paces, she nimbly turned around and pushed herself up, using her strong calf muscles to propel her forward in her time of profound lethargy. Noticing that she was now in a race to keep her staff, which she had accidently thrown or dropped farther than she would've liked, she increased her pace, trying to match her speed to that of the charging Emma. When they both had closed in on the rare, enchanted item, Glinda decided to buy herself some time with another creation.

Holding her hands out, while still running, she positioned them so that they faced one other, equally parallel in space and distance, before gathering a smoky ball of light in the middle of her palms. Extending them, she thrust it out in a broad stroke, causing the sphere to roll and permeate its substance around them, encompassing the competitors in a dense, rosy fog. Spreading, it eventually covered that side of the street, as well as the heavily lining up against the borders, disconnecting the sheltered people from what was happening.

"Bloody hell," Hook commented when he gazed about his surroundings in shocked amazement.

"What's _going_ on?" David then asked franticly, pressing his hands against the barrier. "Where did they go?"

His question went unanswered since they all were too captivated by the sight. Even the remaining and unharmed monkeys were curious, but not by much. Perching themselves comfortably onto the rooftops of the many buildings, they eagerly waited for the outcome with alert ears and snapping jaws.

Meanwhile, inside of the fog, Glinda scrambled to find her staff in her blurry state. Performing that trick made her groggy but bearing the grunt of her decision, she pressed on, turning this way and that with her eyes circulating over what little she could see of the street. She was about to blow some of the smoke away when she found Emma standing a few feet from her, on her left side.

Despite being controlled, she had intelligently kept going into the direction she had been running in and had only slowed down when the fog messed with her sight.

Staring directly at Emma, the Good Witch squinted. Knowing that she hadn't been discovered yet, she exhaled a soft sigh and stalked around the determined blonde. She was about back up when she, unexpectedly, stepped on something hard, which made her foot roll and slightly pop up at the end. Looking down, she tried to hold back the gasp she felt building in her throat when she noticed that it was her staff.

Smoothly exhaling, she was about to lower herself down to grab it when Emma suddenly slid into her front view and, manually, pushed her away from her find. Dazed at the personal contact, Glinda easily recovered. It wasn't a forceful shove, per say, but it was hard enough to stun her back a couple of paces. Stepping towards her, Glinda determinedly tried to summon her staff to her, but Emma, once again, thwarted her attempts at retrieval by intentionally stepping on it. Though it was a simple action and shouldn't necessarily be one to deter a powerful sorceress, it seized at the already declining witch's health. Staggering, she hunched forward before collapsing to the ground, where she was barely able to catch herself. Breathing heavily, her head trembled when she tried to lift it, wholly compelled to lay her hazy eyes onto the main symbol of her power. Damaged and dulled, it returned to its former metallic coloring, marking her low emotional state and spent condition.

"Please," she whispered, her eyes dulling and her skin paling. "…help me…" But since she was incapable of understanding or relating to her, Emma just watched Glinda's ailment worsen, all the while keeping the staged crystal lodged beneath her boot.

Powerless now to sustain her magical fog, it began to fade away moments later, but not before a mysterious thing happened. Above the Southern Witch's left shoulder, the air sizzled and burst, pulling the invisible fabrics of time and magic apart in order to free what had been kept inside. Rolling out from its hiding place, the Northern Crystal casually fell to the street floor, completely unbeknownst to the distracted Glinda, whose head was now bowed into her chest.

Flopping into her eyesight, Emma, who was just about to bend over to pick up the staff, noticed the large crystal and reached for it with her other hand. Fingering it, she straightened herself up and tilted her head over to one side, her gaze never shifting away from the object, even when the mist continued to die around her.

Then…something inside of her fluttered and sparked. It was small at first, but started in the pit of her stomach before spreading a sort of warmth into every which corner of her body…_and_ the longer she held it, the more it grew. Glowing fleetingly, the crystal began to beam a white light, but everything was shattered when—

"Emma! _Emma_!"

Shaking her to the core, Emma halfway turned to face the familiar cry, which swept her cape behind her in a flapping motion. "Noticing" that the fog, the borders and anything else of Glinda's design had disappeared with the last drop of her energy, she then focused her lifeless gaze onto the one person who had great sway over her.

Roaming her eyes over the scene, Zelena, who had moved closer, waited a moment before ordering Emma to magically confine Glinda, but _not_ before giving her the Southern Crystal. Immediately obeying in rapid succession, she quickly wrapped the defeated woman up, from head-to-toe, and it was at that moment that she, ultimately, revealed what else she had been holding onto.

"Is that…?" Zelena breathed, her crazed features brightening when she saw what was clasped in Emma's right hand. "Is _that_ the Northern Crystal?" Lips widening into a creepy smile, she hastily clasped Rumple's dagger onto her modest belt. "Give it to me!" she exclaimed in an anxious, yet authoritative, tone.

Forced to do what she willed, Emma strode over to her, closing the minor gap between them with relative ease. With outstretched hands, she offered them both and didn't visibly react when they were snatched away from her possession. Patting her on the cheek with a couple of free fingers, Zelena observed the two crystals.

"At _last_," she said, looking at the tied up Glinda. "I haven't seen these in a long time…but especially _this_ one." Propping up only the Northern Crystal, she squealed happily. It was true. It had been years since she seen, glimpsed or held _any_ crystal—what with _hers_ peculiarly venturing off into parts or realms unknown—and the more she looked at and marveled at its beauty…the more wicked and creative her thoughts became. _What if I…? No, that's insane…or is it_?

Glancing down at the dagger, her eyes gleamed. _I don't see why it wouldn't work…I've planned on doing this for a while now and the magical properties in these things alone are endless_…

"Are we finished here, dearie?" Rumple interrupted, finally speaking and voicing his opinion since the majority of her plans had been completed. "This has all been rather _exciting_ but I would rather return to the storm cellar you've placed me into then watch this _spectacle_ drone on and on…"

"As a matter of fact," Zelena responded, twisting to look at him face-to-face. "We almost are, my _pet_. I'm glad you spoke up for I was just thinking about you…There's just _one_ more thing that needs to be taken care of before my potion can be made…"

"And that would be?"

"_You_," she replied, emphasizing her answer with an elongated neck. "_You_…my dear, sweet, gullible Rumplestiltskin…you are the loose end in my game." Ignoring his puzzled expression, she pressed on with a loud voice, making sure that the others would hear, particularly Belle. "I told you, well, I _warned_ you that you wouldn't be my slave forever and that you would have to 'prepare yourself', so, noooow, you're going to get your wish. _Now_, I'll set you free with the modest act of _killing_ you…"

"Forgive me if I don't tremble under your threat," he responded, dryly. "You have already failed to kill _two_ of your sworn enemies, dearie, which doesn't look good on your track record."

"True…_very_ true, but on _that_ note…I also don't hold their very _lives_ or _livelihood_ in the palm of _my_ hand," she stressed, indicating to his dagger, which understandably made him nervous. "Least…not yet," she finished, moving back around to make Emma hold and guard the crystals again so she could unsheathed the jagged weapon from her belt.

He tried to back away from the approaching Zelena but she stopped him with one word. "No, you don't get to _walk_ away from this and you don't get to _talk_ your way out of it either…The only thing that you're going to do is _die_…in front of your _true_ love. Speaking of which," she paused, hearing a slight commotion behind her that made her remember that the borders had fallen.

Shockingly enough, the crowd had remained quiet when the magic around them faded from view. Exhausted from the day's adventures, they stared at those in the middle of the street with shaken expressions—that is till Zelena confronted Rumple. Gasps, screams and indistinguishable cries rang out from the crowd but none as loud as Belle, who repeated her previous action by running out into the street; however, she wasn't alone. She was closely followed by David, Hook, Mary Margaret, Robin and Red, who were all individually spurred into reacting for various reasons.

"No, _Rumple_!"

"Belle, _don't_!" He responded, slightly lunging forward and reigniting the soreness Regina had given him.

Greeting them all with a smile, Zelena then waved a hand, summoning the power to freeze and, when they paralyzed on the spot, she cackled. Shifting to face him again, she beckoned him to come closer, which he timidly did.

Then, tucking the tip of his dagger beneath his hairy chin, she eyed him, maliciously.

"Do _you_ have any last words?"

**…**

**Hope you liked it!**

**Tell me what you thought!**


	17. Frozen Expectations

**Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate your feedback :) **

**So much so that I'm doing another update! Yay! (Cue the applause, LOL) ...**

**Summary of the Previous Chapter:Glinda fought many battles, especially against Emma, but lost her crystal and the Northern one to Zelena, who has decided to act upon a wild idea...**

**Enjoy the third chapter in TWO days! :) **

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**Chapter Seventeen: Frozen Expectations**

**…**

**W**ith a brow raised, the Ice Queen watched Storybrooke's drama unfold on her portable mirror, instead of the orb, completely intrigued by what she was seeing. The situation that she had a hand in creating had _certainly_ escalated, but never did she think that Glinda would actually end up being defeated by the green witch.

Sure…she had noticed the weakened state that she was in when they had their discussion in the forest, but her endurance and strength were supposed to be legendary. Glinda, the Southern Witch, was known, in many circles, as a competent and robust fighter but…only a _sliver_ of said talent, if that, had been shown on that main street, today.

_It must've been all that portal jumping she did_, she mused with a knowing nod_. I have heard that she's slightly inadequate in the art of transportation, so maybe that's a contributing factor_…

Sighing softly, the Ice Queen continued to roam her gaze over the surface of her magical mirror. From the very beginning, she had been thoroughly entertained, but the surprising twist and/or the big moment, of _all_ the conflicts, happened _after_ the pink smoke had cleared.

Not only did the Good Witch fail to protect _her_ own sacred crystal but she also _lost_ the Northern one she had been storing in secret!

"You win some, you lose some," she gleefully commented, leaning forward to catch a closer glimpse of the rare items that Emma was now holding, particularly the newly revealed one. It had only been a day or so since she had last seen the larger of the two—when she was spying on those conversing in the loft via similar means—but it felt far longer than that. Shaking her head at her growing thoughts, the Ice Queen's eyes twinkled when she leaned back into her seat, making her fingers follow the same path of motion with a gentle stroke against the arm rests.

"…And sadly," she continued with a cool smile, expanding the surface of the mirror with an easy wave—all so that she could see the fallen Glinda. "It seems that the Southern Witch has _lost_ some of _her_ touch, which would be simply marvelous for the future world if it _stayed_ that way." Pausing, she then shifted her gaze onto the figure of Zelena before gracefully folding her arms over her chest. "I guess that congratulations are in order for you, my dear, even though the battle was technically won by that _Swan_ girl of yours…you have done rather nicely in procuring the ingredients and weakening possible troublemakers…"

Her opinion altered a few moments later, however, when she observed her snatching the crystals away from Emma in order to hold them for herself. A foreboding glint changed the color of the Ice Queen's eyes when she took in Zelena's now greedy features, making her wonder if something unexpected was about to follow next.

_She better not keep those to herself_…_That decision will not bode well for our partnership OR for her life_…

When blue ice, engorged in red sparks, began to pour out of her finger tips, in the form of pointy shards, she swirled them around her hand in a circular motion, doing her best to keep herself from becoming enraged—but that decision would also be challenged when she heard the following exchange between Zelena and Rumplestiltskin.

"…_And that would be? …_"

"…_Now, I'll set you free with the modest act of killing you_…"

"…_True…very true, but on that note…I also don't hold their very lives or livelihood in the palm of my hand_…"

Eyes now wide, the Ice Queen's powers flared and sizzled into an upward motion, causing the ends to resemble burning flames than frosty wisps. Killing the old man and becoming the Dark One _wasn't_ part of the master plan and when she saw Zelena subsequently paralyze the crowd and turn the dagger onto _him_, she shot straight up, her shoulders tense and her neck stiff.

By _no_ means was she concerned for Rumplestiltskin. He deserved to die a _thousand_ times for his guiding hand in her misfortunes, but if Zelena assumed that position, she would ruin _all_ that she had worked so hard for, and may even decide to take _her_ life next.

"I _won't_ let that happen," she hissed out loud, remarking on her possible future with an icy breath. "I _won't_ be betrayed again!" At her exclamation, the room, around her, immediately began to freeze over, starting with the section of the floor she was standing on.

Unable to control her magic, in her anger, the ice permeated from every part of her flesh, soaking the dark dress she was wearing from the inside out. When it had reached the hem of her long gown, it burst forward, conquering everything in its path, in snake-like motions, before dispersing; turning the throne room into an icy fortress.

As soon as the ceiling was solidified in frost, she pushed the mirror aside with a powerful flick of her wrist, a movement that almost sent it flying across the span of the room, and strode down the long corridor, her dress swishing behind her on the now iced floor. Upon reaching the entrance, she manually shoved the large doors open where she instantly summoned a couple of her guards with one brash call.

Bowing low at the waist, they all shuffled and clanked over to her, eager to obey her every whim.

"What is your wish, your majesty?" the middle one asked, head still bent.

Features completely incensed, the Ice Queen lifted her left hand and pointed an iced finger into an unspecified location. "Go to the lower dungeons and bring _her_ to me, at once!"

Looking up, they exchanged a few glances before, respectively, nodding their heads and quickly doing what was demanded of them.

Turning back around, she faced the throne-room and bit the inside of her cheek. Closing her eyes, she muttered under her breath, making white puffs of cold air appear around her mouth.

"…It's about time we had a little _reunion_…"

**…**

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	18. Reawakened

**Dear Readers,**

**I'm so sorry that I haven't updated this story in over a year! 2015 has been nothing but a blur to me—what with working at an amusement park 24/7, among some other issues—but I apologize for not keeping you guys updated, which includes maintaining my profile page. **

**Please accept my humble apology before reading this chapter. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish this entire story in the early months of 2016 so I can start posting up Part Two! Those are just some of my New Year's Resolutions and I pray that I'll be able to stick to them!**

**To be honest, I had to re-familiarize myself with this story by rereading and going over my notes, so, let me know what you think! I should also mention how awesome and twisty this new season of OUAT is! Sure, they took some of my future ideas (somewhat joking and then not) but it's all good. Great minds think alike, I suppose ;) The writer's, creators' and the actors' are doing a FANTASTIC job and I can only hope that I'll be able to do them justice with this tale! **

**With that being said, I'm going to reiterate my disclaimer of NOT owning any of the main characters. However, I do own: the plot-line and the theories/designs that I've incorporated in here. **

**Enjoy, my loves! **

**FantasyWriterFoSho**

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**Summary of the Previous Chapter: While watching the events unfold in Storybrooke, the Ice Queen found out about Zelena's ultimate plan of becoming the new Dark One. Fearing some kind of betrayal, the Ice Queen angrily summoned her guards to her. She needed them to fetch a prisoner who has been staying in her lower dungeons for an unknown period of time. **

**Author note: There was a minor edit done on 3/7/16! **

**…**

**Chapter Eighteen: Reawakened**

**…**

**E**verything was black, pitch black, when she first heard the softest of noises.

It sounded as if it could be a person calling out to her, but she wasn't completely sure. The quality was just too faint and low for any sort of accuracy.

All she knew was that she had been awakened by…_something_.

Letting out a stunned groan, the woman turned her head in an effort to push away the dimness that was fogging up her senses, but the movement only made things worse. _How long have I been out_? She thought as she struggled to get to her knees after lying on her stomach for what, she assumed to have been, a long period of time. _It feels like forever_…she added, rubbing the offended areas in circles, doing her best to get some kind of relief in her weird predicament.

Inwardly complaining, she closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled twice, finding the loud whooshing sound, that accompanied it, oddly comforting; however, whatever frustration or irritation she may have been feeling instantly grew when she soon found herself struck with a sudden bout of dizziness. It swept through her body in seconds, completely immobilizing and arresting her in a lethargic and awkward pose. On all fours, she flailed out a series of swear words before lowering her body back down with an unreadable expression contouring her face.

Releasing her breath slowly, she waited till everything inside of her had settled before flipping herself onto her back, a glint of determination in her actions. Lying sprawled, she then blew some hair out of her eyes, not liking what was now following the dizziness. She felt…_disconnected_ from everything; and that category strangely included _herself_. She had no memory of anything that could help or offer her an explanation and whenever she tried to recall something, all she got was a bunch of static and mush. Groaning at her presumed loss, she bit at her bottom lip.

The darkness didn't help anything either.

The more gloom and defeated she became, the more it intensified around her, but what interested her the most, and quite possibly kept the eerie thoughts at bay, was an intense warm sensation that began to bubble within her chest. It was familiar, very familiar, and the more she focused on it, the more obvious it became.

_Hope_. The sensation inside of her was _hope_, but why? With her surroundings, why should she dare to hope?

Curious, she licked her dry lips before rolling back onto her stomach, which was still a little bit sore, her eyes now dark with the determination she had shone earlier. Blocking out everything, she positioned her hands onto the ground beside her and pushed up, stunning her unused muscles into action, and when she had succeeded, she slowly lowered herself onto the back of her calves; her rear gently resting on the heels of her boots.

Looking around, she brushed some of her long blonde hair behind an ear and once again tried to remember what had happened to her, but her brain was still too jumbled to even compute her simple request. Clearing her throat, which was beyond sore and dry—as if she hadn't spoken for hours—she then attempted to stand up. Slightly using, then altering, her former process, she managed to do so, despite her balance solely depending on the extension of her arms and the wobbliness of her ankles, legs and thighs.

_Where the hell am I_? She thought, still observing whatever was around her—or _trying_ to. _The last thing that I…that I remember is_ …

Bringing her hands up to her face, foregoing her previous posture, she gently rubbed at it before drifting them over to her temples for a quick, light massage. _Think, think…THINK! What was the last thing that you did? …Who was the last person that you were with?! These shouldn't be hard to answer_!

But before she could delve deeper, she heard that noise again. It started off in that same soft tone, that had managed to wake her minutes ago, but, as it got closer and louder, it expanded and swelled into her direction, bathing her in its resonance. When it began to fill her ears, she winced and lifted up her hands to block it out, but as if predicting her response, it stopped in that very same moment.

Swallowing hard, she looked around again, trying to find the weak link in the chain, when she discovered something. Putting a hand onto her throat, she blinked in surprise. Her sores, and her head fog, were now gone. They were _completely_ gone.

Furrowing her brows, she absentmindedly rolled her shoulders. _What the hell is going on_? She internalized quietly, still communicating through her musing instead of using her regular voice. It was then that she heard something.

…_Emma_…

Eyes wide with fear, she extended her neck, swishing her head about in order to pinpoint its location.

…_Emma_…

_Wait, that's my name_, she internalized, some of the terror dissipating at the recognition.

…_Emma_…

…_Emma_…

_Whatever it is_, she further reasoned. _It obviously knows me_. Dropping her arms down to her sides, she took a tentative step forward to test out her legs and, though she hadn't walked around in ages, they felt powerful enough to withhold her weight. Half smiling, she took a couple more before pausing, realizing that the sound had stopped and that she didn't know where she was headed without it. There was literally _nothing_ around her, or least nothing that she could see in the darkness, but even if she _could_ see, she knew that she would still hold onto her reliable suspicions.

_I'm as skeptical as they come_, she accepted with a low, sad sigh. Seconds away from just collapsing back onto the ground in utter defeat, the voice came back, but this time, it was sharper and clearer.

…_EMMA_…

Listening carefully, the woman peered over to her right side and paused, evaluating her options. On one hand, she could stay where she was, in pitch blackness, _or_ she could break through her doubts, trust her gut, and head towards it with the _hope_ of finding out the truth of her situation. Stretching her arms out to her sides, so that she wouldn't bump into anything, she began following the voice at an even pace. Thankfully, the sound was constant, so she didn't have to jog or rush ahead, but as she kept walking, her mind began to drift away into her subconscious and, unlike the last time, with the static and mush, she was able to unlock a flood of memories before her eyes. Relieved, she quickened her movements and allowed them to pour out.

They came to her in the form of stilled images: her practicing magic inside the loft before subsequently making a mess, running after a strange-acting Hook, being attacked by a flying monkey, being saved by Glinda, banning Hook from her life, thinking about leaving Storybrooke, being told a long history of Oz, being a failure when she couldn't awaken one of the most powerful tools in all of the realms, going back to her rented room for some rest, hearing a knock at the door, opening it to find Zelena—

She then gasped loudly before her eyes narrowed.

_Zelena_…This was all Zelena's fault! –Well to some degree. As her recollections continued to run its course, she remembered what happened next. It was by her _own_ actions that she was here. She had given her heart over to that witch, so she could save her friends and family, but, assuming that all she had experienced had occurred a while ago—unless time had graciously stood still—none of this explained where she was now. If she had indeed saved them then _where_ were they? And why was she trapped in some sort of dream world or limbo?

_I guess that I was wrong_, she thought, recalling the moment she had before she had taken out her heart. _She just might have control over both my body and mind…_

Just then, over the repetition of her name, a bright light appeared in the distance. Tilting her head and pursing her lips, she slowed down. Staring at a literal cliché, she once again considered her options, his suspicious nature reeling its ugly head. She had to admit that she was beginning to feel a little unnerved by this entire thing, which in itself, was laughable, considering that she was the Savior of a small magical town in Maine.

_Does it really want me to go there_?

…_EMMA_…

Eyes widening at the loud and unprompted response, a lump formed in the back of her throat. Nodding her head, she pressed forward, her arms still extended. As she closed in on the gleaming object, she immediately felt torn. She didn't like putting her faith in the unknown—been burned more than a couple of times had definitely affected her ability to be open-minded—but there was one thing that she did know and that was how much she wanted to see her family and friends again…Hook included.

After getting the majority of her memories back, she couldn't help but feel bad about how she had treated him. Her behavior was childish but that didn't excuse his conduct either. He had been distancing himself from her and as much as she didn't want to admit it, she missed having him around, which not only worried her, but brought up sensitive subjects and/or questions, like: how she honestly felt about him? Was she concerned, for him, on a friendly level or...or was it deeper than that? …Was she in love with him?

Then, as if sparked by her inner conflictions, something strong began to stir inside of her before manifesting itself into the form of a memory. Back at the loft, he had cupped and caressed her face, after her practice session, and spoke to her in a tone that made it difficult for her to breathe: "_Emma, love, the truth is that I'm under a—_" –they were then interrupted by Henry and her parents before he could finish the rest, leaving her more bewildered than satisfied when he had left the room moments later.

She would _still_ be confused now if she didn't regain her memories. If Zelena, albeit greedily motivated, didn't own up to her blackmail, back at the room, then she wouldn't know that he had been trying to protect her the entire time…

Reeling from the force of her retentions, she shook her head and inhaled deeply. Her stomach lurched painfully and her breath hitched whenever she began to think about the desperate and pleading tone he had used with her. _I was such an idiot_…

Mentally slapping herself, she was beginning to understand how stupid she's been, lately. If she hadn't been too self-absorbed with her own issues, things may be different at this given moment. Groaning, she redirected her gaze back to the light. She knew that she had to give it a try.

She owed it to them _all_ to get back.

So, steeling herself against the possibility of making the wrong decision, she broke forward in a run, trying to get there as quickly as possible. Briefly looking down, she committed herself to longer and more purposeful strides, happy and completely thankful that her legs were able to support her in a time like this.

The light dimmed the closer she got to it and when she was only a few feet away, she slowed down, interested in what she may find. Decreasing in its size, it retracted its gleaming reach with a downward pull of energy, sucking and then spreading all of its brightness into the sides of a large, circular surface that twinkled at her the more she stared at it. With its edges illuminated, Emma was still able to see its reflective exterior, despite her bleak surroundings, and when she carefully approached the object, she found herself becoming skeptical.

_Is that…a mirror_?

Letting out a ragged breath, she walked till she stood directly in front of it. _I ran this entire way for a damn mirror? How the hell is this going to help me?! _As if stirred to life by her disbelief, the mirror's surface suddenly rippled, sending small waves from one of its corners to the next in thin strokes. Mouth dropping, she watched the gloss shimmer till images began to cover the screen, and not just _any_ images…they were of her!

_But, but I_…she began, her eyes widening in confusion. _I don't remember these_…

Carefully placing a hand onto the glass, she peered through it, noting the quiet, yet flashing, pictures that seemed to have happened without her knowledge. She felt like she was having an out-of-body-experience when she saw herself training with Zelena—and not only was it completely bizarre to see that, it was also brutal to watch. The tests were constant and seemed to have a great effect on her the more she was subjected to it; however, she could definitely tell that she wasn't in her right mind. She appeared lifeless.

_She does have control over all of me_, she bitterly acknowledged, her mind racing over the repercussions everybody would face if she wasn't saved or stopped.

As it rippled again, the next thing it displayed was her waking up in the arms of her mom. She had just been revealed to a large crowd, by Zelena, and appeared to be in a comatose state, but then, in a matter of seconds, she then witnessed the unthinkable. With a blank and cold stare, she had forcibly removed her unborn sibling's heart from Mary Margaret's womb! The act hit Emma hard. A shattering feeling began to fester and swell in the pit of her stomach, causing tears to well up in her eyes. It was worse than she could ever imagine! How could Zelena make her do that to her _own_ flesh and blood?!

Bringing her hands together to stop them from shaking, she finally spoke aloud.

"Oh my _God_," she whispered, completely shocked by her _own_ actions. "What? W-when did I do—? W-why did…_did_ I do—?"

Unable to finish, she just watched everything, in horror, as the screen flashed from one image to the next. After Emma saw herself hand the small, delicate heart over to Zelena, the mirror flash-forward over all the others things that had happened in her controlled state: her following all the Wicked Witch's orders without any disagreements, how her outfit changed from her normal clothes to something more medieval, how she almost attacked her mom before engaging in her first ever magical fight against Regina, how she protected Zelena on several occasions, how Hook had risked his life with a kiss—that part clawed at her chest—before she flung him away, how she almost killed Regina with her own hands, and finally, how she had entered into an intense battle between both Glinda _and_ Regina before flinging the latter between two parked cars, further battering her already broken body.

When she reached the disappearing fog, Emma turned away, for a moment, so she could wipe some of the wetness that had spilled, around her eyes, with her free hand's sleeve. She couldn't believe it. It was like a nightmare that had no end; it just kept getting worse and worse with every glance. Shaking her head, she returned to the mirror, her features fierce and broken.

The screen seemed to have paused itself, in her brief absence, and when it held her attention, once again, it resumed as if nothing had happened.

As Glinda's pink mist cleared, Emma started scanning the circular frame with added interest, her hopes dwindling at the thought of something else occurring, but when her eyes landed on the objects her true self was holding, a jolt shot through her.

Crystals…she was carrying _two_ crystals in _her_ hands!

"How the hell did I get those?!" She yelped, her mind swimming from the lack of information. For some reason, she wasn't able to see what had transpired in the magical fog but, apparently, it didn't end well for the Southern Witch, who was drained and tied up. Mouth open in shock, she then watched herself do another unthinkable act. Within moments, the two objects were in Zelena's greedy hands and it was all because she, Emma, had _handed_ them to her.

"That's enough," she stated, her mouth closing into a straight, firm line. On her command, the mirror stopped on a haunting picture of the witch, who had just frozen the majority of the spectators with the wave of her hand. "I won't stand for this anymore. This ends _now_."

Inspired more than ever to get back, she looked around the mirror for a button or some kind of indication of a possible exit. She had a strong gut-feeling that it was her key out of the perpetual darkness she was in, but as she roamed about it, she found nothing. Groaning in frustration, she allowed her gaze to take in the impressive detailing of the edges before leaning forward, her head dropping till it touched the smooth, cool exterior. Shaking her head, which mussed the top part of her hair, she brought her hands up near her face.

She was desperately trying to remain sane about this but it was proving to be too much for her to deal with. Yes, she _still_ had some hope—though slightly more diminished than before—and yes, she was beginning to become a little bit _more_ accepting of her destiny, but if she couldn't find a way back, especially after seeing all of that, then they all were in danger and it was because of _her_.

Breathing hard, she released some of her pent up anger onto the mirror. Banging on the reflected surface, she found herself venting in explosive bursts of emotion. "If I wasn't so wishy-washy about magic, if I wasn't so _stupid_ and so hung up on leaving everything and everybody behind, then none of this would be happening! If I can just go back and fix what's been done, I swear…" she paused, catching her breath. "…I swear that I'll do better. I swear that I'll right this wrong…I just _need_ to go back…"

As if spurred by her passionate resolution, a chain reaction of rippling bright light flowed across the exterior, twisting and mutilating Zelena's fixed picture till it faded from view. With a surprised gasp, Emma pulled back, her eyes wide at the interesting display of magic. Raising a finger, she carefully grazed it against the ripples, igniting an assortment of colors that were more beautiful than the last but when she applied more pressure, she found herself biting her tongue in shock. Instead of feeling a mirror's normal, metallic firmness, it gave way, and allowed the tip of her finger to fall through it, effortlessly.

"Whoa," Emma murmured, instinctively glancing about for any signs of manipulations. Shaking her head at that thought, given her set circumstances, she anxiously turned back to her slightly missing limb and licked her lower lip. Sighing rather loudly, she nodded her head. "Here I go."

Pushing forward, she forcefully slid her hand deeper into the mirror and didn't stop till she was in up to her elbows. A spark of dancing lights streaked and gathered about her inserted form; eliciting nothing short of a nervous twitch in the corner of her upturned mouth. Silently motivating herself to continue, she pressed on and watched as her entire right side began to vanish into the unknown. Thankfully, there wasn't an unpleasant feeling or a weird sensation associated with her actions, which helped her out a great deal, despite the fact that she was inserting herself _through_ a _mirror_.

Inserting her head in next, a revitalizing breath of air suddenly escaped past her lips and she could feel a weight being lifted off of her chest and shoulders. In a willingness to end it, she bent her knees and lunged into the mirror, completing the transition in one fell swoop. Blinking rapidly, she somewhat stumbled before steadying herself, her arms, once again, stretching out to achieve an upright balance. When she was sure that she was stable, and no longer in danger of falling, Emma turned her attention over to her new surroundings—or at least, she tried to.

There was a blinding light in this new room that made it difficult for her to see and the harder she attempted, the more it hurt. Closing her eyes with the hopes of adjusting to it, she took a couple of steps back in order to lean against the mirror, which had somehow managed to solidify itself in an unforeseeable amount of time. Swearing against her newfound troubles, she brought her hands up to her forehead to gently cover her face.

"Where am I now?! I wanted to get _out_ of here. I _didn't_ want to be brought into a new realm of hell!" She cried out, her frustration obvious. Slowly opening her eyes, to see between her fingers, she found that her sight had slightly become attuned to the brightness. Way passed the point of being creeped out, she tilted her head over to one side and looked behind her. "That's just perfect. I've been messing around with a trick mirror…that's just great…"

"It is no trick," came a whispery response.

Snapping her head towards the familiar sound, Emma cupped her eyes to see more clearly. "Who said that?"

"I did…"

Straightening up, to move forward a few steps, Emma shifted her gaze in jagged motions before seeing something materialize in front of her…Now, she has witnessed plenty of mysterious and unexplainable things, but what she saw standing before her, chilled her to her very bones. With her eyes wide, her chest tight and her throat dry, she managed to mumble out some of her confusion. "W-what the…that's, that's _impossible_…"

"No, it's not," replied the same voice. "I'm very real."

Sputtering past her clogged throat, Emma continued, her tone very childlike. "But…but you're, you're _me_…" Gawking seemed to be her only functional reaction to whatever was staring back at her. She could only assume that it was a clever illusion, a mirage from the bright light, but the more she observed it; the more it appeared real. Besides, whatever it was—the other person—it was telling her the truth. She _was_ real.

"If I thought that I was hallucinating or having an out-of-body experience before then _this_…this is _nothing_ compared to that…"

"I assure you," it repeated, softly. "I'm very real."

Standing several feet in front of her was, literally, her perfect double—minus how the other woman was dressed. Wearing a fitted, off the shoulder, white gown that touched the floor beneath her, she stood out in the loud background with her gentle demeanor. Her blonde hair was down and loose about her back, with a few locks sectioned over a shoulder, perfectly framing her oval face while also enhancing her perceptive and illuminating hazel eyes. With a natural elegance that made Emma feel uncomfortable, the other woman took a step forward and spoke, her words seamless and melodious.

"I've been waiting for you to wake up. You've been asleep for days."

_That explained a lot—the aches, the trouble standing_…"Why didn't you wake me up then?" Emma inquired, her hands still hovering around her eyes for shade. Still shaken up by the fact that there was now _two_ of her, she tried to ignore the flush she felt flaming up her neck, cheeks and ears.

"My position here wouldn't allow me to do so, least not physically," the other woman replied with a pang of regret. "I did, however, use the mirror to call out to you. I hoped that in doing so, it would bring you here, to this place."

Connecting the dots in her subconscious, Emma replied with a measure of certainty. "So, it was _you_ calling my name the entire time? I wasn't making that up?"

The other woman simply nodded her head before folding her hands in front of her.

"C-can you tell me where I am? How I got to this, this place?"

"I could," the other acknowledged with a head tilt, her eyes piercing. "But I think that you already know the answers to your questions."

"Uh," Emma croaked out, furrowing her brow again. "The last thing I _really_ remember is giving my heart over to Zelena. After that," she paused in consideration. "Nothing, I remember _nothing_. Other than those images in the mirror, which I'm assuming to be true…handing over my heart is the last of my true memories."

The enlightened being didn't respond. She just evaluated her, as if waiting for any kind of elaboration or amendment to follow. Clearing her throat, Emma looked away momentarily, not particularly fond of being put on the spot—and by _herself_ no less. It was bad enough being trapped in two or more alternate dimensions, but having to _explain_ things, that you're not even sure about, to _yourself_, is downright freaky.

_I guess that I can look at it from a psychological standpoint_, she thought, absentmindedly. _Some would comment that this could be seen as a therapeutic moment—talking to myself and what not… _Shaking her head, she began noticing how stiff her arms were becoming, which was understandable; given how she had been holding them in an upright position for a while. "This may seem like an odd request, but could you dim the lights or something? I can hardly see."

"I'm sorry but I can't," the other responded gently. "It represents something bigger than you or I."

Sighing in annoyance, Emma did her best not to roll her eyes. This was beginning to feel like a game and she hated playing games. As she gradually dropped her elbows down to her sides, to relieve the rigidity in her arms, she carried on the conversation with some questions. "What do you mean? Like what?"

Gesturing about her, the formal Emma carried on. "Everything you've experienced here represents the possibility of choices. Everybody has to make a decision at one point in their lives, some more than others, as you very well know," she gave her a small smile. "But this one, is of a darker and serious nature…"

"As if my life wasn't hard enough," Emma said, her tone flat. Raising a brow, she hesitated before continuing. "What do you mean by 'darker' and 'serious'? Does this relate to me being the Savior?"

Her other self nodded with a hint of solemnity. "Since you carry that title, fate often makes decisions _for_ you: where you'll go, who you'll be, who you'll fight, etc. but now, at this moment, _this_ place," she gestured about herself again. "Is all for _you_. Either you can go back to being Zelena's twisted puppet or you can fight…" Moving closer, she then rephrased her words so that they would have a stronger impact. "Either you can _succumb_ to the darkness or you can _live_ in the light."

Her eyes softened while Emma's widened. Clasping her hands back together, she spoke again. "You asked me a couple of questions earlier and since time is rather precious here, I feel obligated to answer them. This brightness is the opportunity you'll need in order to go back to your real life, which is why the mirror allowed you passage. As you saw, Zelena has you doing some unsavory things, things we _both_ know you would never do otherwise, and you _can_ stop it, but _only_ if you really want to. Now," she trailed off, moving closer to Emma with remarkable speed and grace. "Where you woke up, is another matter entirely."

Standing a few inches away from her, the other woman touched her counterpart's shoulders and turned her around so she could face the mirror. Submitting to the reflective surface once again, Emma heaved a sigh and listened carefully to her other self. "What can you tell me about this object? What have you learned about it?" When there wasn't an immediate answer, she then added, tenderly: "Think about your time with it. It presented you with images that symbolized the things that you have missed—as well as showing you your current situation in Storybrooke. Why would it do that? _What_ would be the point in showing you those things?"

Tracing over its edges with her limited eyesight, Emma replied on an exhale, her voice low. "Well, it's _magic_. So, that means that it's not what it appears to be or…is it? It's…it's…" She stopped, not wanting to sound like a rambling idiot. As she took a moment to process everything that she's been through in the last few minutes alone, it finally dawned on her. "It's _me_! Everything here is-is _me_…"

Moving away from her other self, her hands still cupped around her eyes and her elbows still securely tucked in, she went over to the mirror and took in everything, as if seeing it for the first time. "It's like you said…I _do_ have the choice to either stay or go. I can either go back into the darkness, choosing failure by not being the Savior anymore, or I-I could go back to my reality." Inhaling sharply, she then exclaimed, "I _am_ in some sort of _limbo_, aren't I?"

"Yes," the other woman answered with a proud expression. "You are inside your own head, waiting…" She then hesitated, her eyes clouding over with a hint of gravity. "Which will it be? I must do whatever you decide."

Not moving a muscle, Emma used the mirror to glance back at her. "How much time do I have? With you, I mean?"

"Now that you are awake, not much."

"Why? And since we're on the subject, what did you mean by time being 'precious'?"

A hint of a smile touched the other Emma's lips. "I'm glad that you caught that." Considering her next words carefully, she then responded. "My purpose is not to sway you but should you choose to stay here…things will undoubtedly change. There'll no longer be a Savior in Storybrooke or, quite possibly, anywhere else, and not because there isn't anybody capable of doing the job. There just won't be enough time left…"

Fear immediately consumed Emma at all angles. Her eyes remained locked on her counterpart's as she struggled with the idea, internally. She knew how bad that would be if all of that came true, which just added to the mountainous pile of guilt she was already feeling for wanting to leave it all behind. "So, if I choose with you," she suddenly said, her voice cracking a bit. "I'll wake up?"

She was answered with a soft, but unmistakable, "yes."

As soon as she said that, Emma's tension eased and gave her the strength to come to a decision quickly. With a sturdy resolve, she turned back around and crossed her arms, her eyes slightly narrow in order to avoid the overpowering light that was around her. "I choose to go back. I have to make things right."

"Are you sure?" her other self questioned with a smile, barely able to conceal the happiness she was feeling at the response. "If I remember correctly, you wanted to go back to New York so you could forget all of your responsibilities…what's changed?"

Already knowing the answer, Emma let the words flow out her mouth in a hurried rush. "I put myself, and everybody else, into this situation by handing my heart over to Zelena. I didn't think it through, but now, I can see things clearly. Maybe it's because of this mirror," she acknowledged with a smirk, "but I can't keep running away forever. I _have_ to fix this, I _have_ to go back and save my family and town."

"Well done," the other woman said, her eyes twinkling. She then raised both of her arms up into the air before bringing them back down at an even and gradual pace, her wrists rolling around themselves skillfully. The result of her movements appeared directly behind her. With a loud roar, a greyish coloring began to tear through the bright façade and built in volume till it consumed the entire space, minus the area where the two women were standing—and there was an explanation for that. Somehow, keeping some of the original glow, was the _other_ Emma herself.

The _real_ Emma took a step back in shock, which almost resulted in her falling against the mirror. Though extremely thankful for the light reduction, she whipped her head around in complete confusion. Trying to talk over the loud, rumbling sound, she used a higher pitch in order to communicate. "What's going on?! I thought you said that you couldn't control the light because it was '_bigger'_ than both of us?!"

Seemingly unaffected by what was happening, the blonde's response was almost motherly. "It represented your choices, Emma, and since you _chose_ to go back, _you _gave me the power to control it." Shrugging her shoulders, she gave her half a smile. "Sorry if that's confusing, but it's all a matter of perspective. Even though I'm apart of you, I had no right to influence your decisions."

"Perspective? Of course it is," Emma mumbled under her breath as she watched every scrape of lightness transform into a bearable, but dull gray; however, if it wasn't for the formally dressed version of herself, then she would be standing in complete darkness once again—so, there were worst things than a striking beacon of light guiding her path.

"Touch my hands," the other woman then said, extending her arms out for her to grab, the length of her dress slightly rustling from the movement. Her voice was surprisingly calm and inviting, despite the dying sounds around them, which made it easier for her to be heard. "Once we make contact, you'll be able to wake up."

Stomach in knots, Emma let out a shaky breath. Normally, in situations like these, she would consider running away but, when the familiar sensation began to slither up her spine and tug at the base of her throat, she shook her head. She couldn't let it win. Not this time. Not with her family and town at stake.

Storybrooke was, and _always_ will be, her home. And it was time for her to accept she that.

Wiping her hands on her jeans, she pushed herself forward, her resolve strengthening with every step and when she reached out, to touch the hands of her enlightened self, she felt all of her doubts magically melt away. Nodding her head, she stated her next words firmly. "I'm ready."

With the same smile on her face, the other version's embodied brightness suddenly engulfed their intertwined limbs and began crawling up Emma's arms at an alarming rate. Too stunned to react appropriately, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to cry out when a cold sensation began to climb up her neck and chin. It took only seconds for it to cover her entire body, but when another burst of light abruptly followed, repeating the former one's actions, she found herself becoming extremely lightheaded. Breathing heavily, she reopened her eyes at the same time a gentle wave of pinpricks began coating her skin at every angle, making the tiny hairs on her arms stand up on edge.

Tempted to see what was happening, she glanced down and immediately gasped. With her own eyes, she saw herself disappearing from head to toe! She was _literally_ fading away from the place with every icy stab she felt but, before vanishing entirely, Emma glanced up, wanting to look at her mirrored self. She was about to thank her but the other woman interrupted her with a soft, authoritative whisper.

"Good luck, Savior. Remember everything that you've seen here by being true to yourself. Use it to your advantage…and don't ever give up fighting for what's right."

"Thank you for everything," Emma acknowledged with a nod, highly appreciative of her words and of getting the opportunity to show her gratitude. In her last moments of limbo, she could barely contain the smile that was tugging at her _own_ lips. Releasing a trapped sigh, she let go of all her troubles and gave herself the permission to start embracing her destiny for the first time in her life. Arching her back, because of the sensation, she then dissolved into tiny white fragments that began to float from the ground in an upward spiral—as if being pulled away. Under the attentive eye of her other self, the stream traveled to the very top of the area, lighting its way with swirly patterns before forcing itself through an unseen barrier; leaving an airy trail of silver specks behind it.

Finally free from her mind's limitations, and Zelena's control, the remaining Emma too began to disappear, but not in the same dramatic fashion as her counterpart. Folding her hands in front of her, her smile was the last thing visible before she faded into nothingness—her job finally completed.

**…**

**T**he first thing that Emma officially registered, in her own skin, was the rush of air filling her lungs. The saltiness alone was enough to burn the back of her throat every time she found herself gasping for air. Inhaling sharply, she managed to even out her breathing but not before noticing that her vision was off. Her eyes were blurry, sore and unfocused—no doubt because of the dull expression she had been wearing for a few days—but she easily fixed that with an excessive amount of blinking, which cleared her lashes in a matter of seconds. The third thing, and probably the most physically important, was the lack of her beating heart. When she had removed it from her chest, she had felt a weird haze overcome her, but now that she was aware of what was going on, it was more of an empty numbness or a hollow space that was strongly pressing against her ribs, which was further hindered by the weight of the necklace she was wearing.

What was once safe and protected inside of her was now in somebody else's possession and she only had herself to blame. The weight of that notion was more than she could process but she knew that she had to ignore it if she planned on making it through the next bit alive.

Looking about herself, but not enough to draw anybody's attention, she managed to take in her new area's surroundings. Noting some of the familiar buildings, streets and people around her, she knew that she had made it.

She was back in Storybrooke.

"I'm home," she muttered under her breath, desperately trying to stand still. She had little time to marvel at the wonders of her magical time in limbo so, to distract herself, she took a peek down at the crystals she was holding. Stifling a gasp, she noticed that one of them, the one that represented the Northern part of Oz, had a strange glow to it. Raising a brow to some extent, she vaguely recalled what Glinda had said about them during her history lesson, and so, Emma decided to ignore that as well. _If it's glowing is really important_, she thought. _Then I'm sure I'll find out about it sooner than later_.

Refocusing on the scene happening in front of her, she noticed that time had either paused in real life, allowing her to mentally catch up, or that everything she had experienced had happened in a matter of seconds. Crazy as it sounded, she believed it to be the latter. _Perspective_, she thought again, doing her best to conceal a smile when she related her other self's words to her current and real situation.

Stroking the crystals, she stared ahead, soaking everything in like a sponge. Zelena's back was still facing her but her arm was now raised high above her head, instead of being leveled with her intended victim's chin, and there was an eerie calm beginning to settle itself within the streets—as if it was anticipating Gold's impending death. The dagger was gleaming evilly in the light when she then ordered him to stand "completely still". She didn't want anything or _anyone_ "complicating" her becoming the new Dark One…

Quickly using her peripherals, Emma spotted her frozen parents, Hook, Belle, Red, Robin and several other familiar faces, on one side, and a glimpse of the waking Regina—the only person Zelena didn't bother to freeze—on the other side. She couldn't see Glinda but knew, from the mirror, that she was somewhere behind her in a tied-up heap. Swallowing hard, she shifted her eyes forward again. Fear was evident in their features and it all had to do with the fact that they were stuck. They either had to _wait_ for Zelena to finish her deadly mission or hope for some kind of a miracle to come along and save them from certain destruction.

Breathing slowly, she deliberately, but very carefully, lowered her hands down to her sides. If she could just find a place to tuck the crystals into, she would be able to protect them from any danger they would inevitably face in her confrontation with Zelena—at least she hoped so. She thought about searching her armor for some kind of a pocket but was doubtful that there would be any, considering the density of the entire piece, so she peered about for another source.

Noticing how easily her cloak moved about her, Emma shifted the crystals into one hand and stealthily side-grab a healthy portion of it with her fingers. Thinking as she went, she began to rub at the lining for any weak points and when she stumbled upon an appropriate sized opening, she had to bite her bottom lip to muffle her surprise.

What were the odds of her finding _exactly_ what she wanted, when she needed it?

Figuring that it must've happened during one of her scuffles, she began prodding at the hole and soon discovered that it was large enough to put_ one_ of the crystals into. So, before she could second guess herself, she smoothly moved Glinda's back over and craftily slipped it inside. When it didn't fall out or give her any weight problems, she shifted the remaining one over to her other hand and did the same thing. Completely shocked by her good fortune, when she, once again, located another gap, she didn't show any hesitation when she shuffled the dimly lit crystal into it, her eyes flickering with relief.

After carefully dropping that side of the cloak down, Emma began moving towards the Wicked Witch, who seemed to be enjoying herself. She was still taunting the petrified Gold by repeatedly waving his dagger in front of his face—which was the perfect psychological torture tool for any cornered Dark One. On another note, she was also talking to him, but Emma could barely make it out in her slow venture forward; however, judging by the witch's sinister tone, she could tell that it wasn't a pleasant conversation.

Dropping her line of vision to the belt Zelena was wearing, she happened to catch sight of the satchel-like purse that was holding her brother's heart and knew that she had to do something about that as well. Stopping for a moment, she thought quickly before ultimately deciding to do what Regina had been trying to teach her from the start.

Though she had displayed powerful feats of magic, they had been under the orders of Zelena—not to mention through her unresolved anger issues and distrust. No, what she needed to do was to "focus" and to "concentrate" on the good things; not on the drama that has always been a part of her life. Quietly repeating said mantra in her head, Emma closed her eyes and tried to center herself. She could feel her magic bubbling inside of her but since she was no longer under the Wicked Witch's control, she wasn't exactly "at the ready". Running out of time—she could sense that Gold's life was soon coming to an end—she mentally laid out all the positive things in her life.

From Henry to her parents to Regina, she could list many helpful, loving and inspirational moments, but there was only one person that she really found herself going back to…

Hook.

As the memories of him smiling at her, flirting with her, touching her, kissing her filled her head, she could feel her cheeks begin to redden and the space, in her chest, where her heart was supposed to be, start to constrict with various emotions. Then, at that moment, as the teasing images continued to overpower her senses, a familiar sensation began to overcome her. Recognizing it as the magical humming combing through her blood and veins, Emma let out a shaky breath._ That's right_, she mused gently. _Magic is about emotion and if I could be completely honest with myself then—_

Purposefully trailing off, she combined all of those happy moments together and allowed its powerful energy to consume her. When the humming grew to the point of permeating her skin, with its enchanting boost, she instantly locked eyes onto the belt again and honed in on the small bag. Saving her brother was a top priority and she had an idea of how to do it.

Cautiously waving a finger, she concentrated on the pouch and when she did, she felt her magic become an influential surge. Before she knew it, the purse was in her possession—after momentarily blinking out of existence—and was now hovering in front of her in a bobbing manner. Snatching it from view, Emma simply held it in her left gloved hand, fully aware of the fact that she didn't have enough room in her linings to contain it, but even if she did, she didn't want the weight of the crystals, or anything else, to accidentally cause damage to the heart.

_I'll just have to hold on to it for now_, she thought with some resignation. _It's now or never…_ And so, with nothing left to deal with, Emma closed in on Zelena with firm intent. Reacting on pure instinct, and a heightened sense of adrenaline, she gained enough ground to note the pure terror washing over Gold's face from a spot above the Wicked Witch's right shoulder. Swallowing hard, she decided to officially stop wasting time.

Before Zelena could plunge the dagger into his chest, Emma reacted. Using her muscle memory and knowledge, she quickly stretched out her free arm, and hand, at the witch's back. Flicking her wrist in an upward motion, Zelena was immediately lifted up into the air with a surprised look on her face, but before she could utter anything in protest, Emma flexed the same wrist in the opposite direction. With the addition of a pointed finger, she cast Zelena over Gold's head and only stopped when she was sure that the redhead would land a few feet away from them—which was an impressive feat for somebody who was considered a novice less than a week ago.

The Wicked Witch grunted out in pain when she collided hard against the ground; a clattering noise emerging not too far away from her at the same time she was hurled from her former position. Hand griping her injured side, she scrambled to get to her feet, her blue eyes glittering in both anger and disbelief at the unexpected intrusion. Gasping for air, she suddenly noticed how light one of her hands felt and remembered hearing an interesting sound at the same time she had fallen. Looking down to confirm it, she thrashed her head about frantically, desperate to find and recover the dagger she had unintentionally dropped. And when she spotted it, moments later, a few inches away her legs, she pounced on it—practically lunging her entire body into its direction.

Sighing in relief when her empty fingers clasped its hilt, she then turned back around to see _who_ or _what_ could've possibly ambushed her but, before she could, she instead discovered that her freezing spell had been broken. They were all stunned at being released, except for Robin, who had begun making his way over to check on the dazed Regina, who was still pinned between the cars.

_It must've happened when I was thrown_, she thought with a sneer. Finally pushing herself up onto her wobbly legs, she glanced about, still trying to understand what had happened. It couldn't have been her sister because she was too wounded to stand, let alone, lift a finger, and it definitely couldn't have been Gold for obvious reasons. Granted, it could've been one of the fairies or Glinda or any other person with magic, but she sincerely doubted those options as well—what with her paralyzing the majority of the town in the street and the Southern Witch being bound and completely drained of her powers. Confused, she found herself locking eyes with her "puppet", who was glaring back at her with a certain liveliness. Gone was that dead facial expression, and personage, that spoke of her heartlessness. In its place, was a normal, uncontrolled woman, who appeared bent on doling out some revenge.

"That's im-impossible," she stuttered, wisps of red hair gently swaying about her neck when she shook her head. _She couldn't be free! She just couldn't be_! Breathing heavily, Zelena debated on her next moves. Whatever they were, they had to be effective and _carefully_ done. As she said, True Love Products were "complex", and though she wasn't admittedly worried about Emma before this little bombshell, she was _now_.

Briefly looking down at her pale green necklace, she decided to use the communicational device, that they both shared, but when she whispered into it, there was no effect. Her former brainwashed alley had somehow returned to the way she was before, despite everything she had done to ensure that that wouldn't be an option. Cursing silently, she lifted her head and spoke, trying to bring some levity to her capsizing situation. "Looks like the pupil has learned some new _tricks_."

Emma narrowed her eyes, dropped her arm and took a couple of sidesteps to see her properly, not wanting to be distracted by the traumatized Gold, who was desperately trying not to collapse to the ground. From behind her, she could hear the startled gasps and exclamations from the crowd, but despite being tempted to look, she refused to do so.

Setting her mouth, she responded back evenly; her words clipped. "It's not _impossible_. I'm just not your puppy dog anymore."

"How?!"

Favoring her right side, she shifted forward a bit to carefully block the pouch from the witch's view. Pushing the hand, that was holding the heart, closer to her cape, she continued on in a harsh tone. "It doesn't matter _how_ I did it but, in a few minutes, you're going to wish that I hadn't and that you didn't _trick_ me into giving up my heart."

Smiling sweetly, Zelena exhaled a shaky breath. "Technically, you gave it to me of your own free will, my pretty. I only gave you the _incentives_ to do so."

"My family and friends," Emma stated angrily, her face slightly contorting when the memory began to replay itself.

Nodding her head in agreement, the witch offered her a smug retort. "Rumple's not the only one who likes making deals and bargains. He just simply made it his trademark." She had planned on saying something else but stopped when she remembered an important detail. Face falling, she realized that she had done something incredibly stupid, despite not knowing it at the time. Before taunting the Dark One, she had given the crystals back to Emma and now that _she_ had regained her senses, to a reasonable degree, Zelena no longer had the upper hand where they were concerned, which meant that her plans for their future usage were now being threatened.

So, in less than three minutes, she had lost three valuable commodities, but she'll be damned if she lost the dagger.

"Yes, well, things just got interesting," Zelena observed quietly, her calm façade cracking at the thoughts that were beginning to taunt her: at any moment now, she could fail. Any moment now, she could lose out on her dreams. Any moment now, _somebody_ could, once again, take away all that she's worked so hard to obtain…and right _now_, _that_ person was the heartless _Savior_, who had somehow managed to go against the odds—how picturesque! How inspirational! Apparently, she was playing the "good-vs-evil-game" and she had always hated where she ended up whenever those chips fell, especially when she found herself becoming outnumbered.

Leveling the blade up, near the upper portion of her chest, she then glanced over at Gold, who was exchanging anticipatory glances between the two women. With a new plan beginning to take shape, she pushed her worries away and smiled. "…Don't you agree, Rumple, dear?"

Sensing what she was going to make him do, he tried to take a step back, his features completely suspicious. "No," he began slowly, his gaze threatening to look over at Belle, who was now being restrained by a frightened Red.

"_Yes_," Zelena replied sweetly before ordering him to stand next to her. "I'm afraid that I still have some use for you after all." When he did what she had commanded, she then spoke again, but this time, to the entire street. "I guess my plans can suffer through another minor adjustment. I have what I came for anyway, so, there's no need to be stingy with my time here."

Understanding that she was talking about her brother's heart, Emma said nothing, but she could feel beads of sweat forming near her brow. If Zelena found out about her missing purse or saw her holding it, things would get very ugly, very fast.

Shifting her left side further away from her, so that she stood at an acute angle, Emma took a deep breath. _Concentrate_, she silently reminded herself. _Don't hold back but don't give up on what's important either_. "Stop!" she then shouted, her magic combing throughout her body at an even pace. Raising her free arm and hand again, she continued. "Don't bring anybody else into this! It's between you and me now! Leave him out of it!"

"No, it's between us _three_," Zelena responded matter-of-factly, the tips of her own fingers glowing a dark green. "Call me _cheeky_ but I've had a change of _heart_. I've held out long enough in this fight and I'm tired of coming in second string. Besides," she said, indicating to the man beside her with a side jab of the dagger. "The old man went through the ringer when I matched him against Regina and that must've been an embarrassing thing for him to endure..."

After flitting her eyes into the direction of her injured sister's body, she noticed how Robin was doing his best to assist her. Disgust, rage and jealousy instantly consumed her when she caught sight of just how _loving_ he was starring at her, how _doting_ he was being with her, and so, with a flick of one of her lit fingers, she sent him flying a few feet away where he fell beside Glinda; magically knocked out.

Everybody gasped, or reacted in their own ways, but when some tried to go to _his_ aid, Zelena threatened to do the same thing to them, or something worse, if they chose to interfere, which stopped them dead in their tracks. Getting her point across, she then shrugged her shoulders and carried on as if nothing had interrupted her. "...I'll admit that I was surprised by _her_ prowess as well, but I have no illusions when it comes to _your_ skills, Emma—at least when they're left to your _own_ devices. You're nothing but a weak and pathetic girl without me pulling the strings, so sadly, I think that this is a goodbye…"

Though stung by the blatant insult, Emma chose to remain silent and just watched as they closed-in around her, her fingers twitching in anticipation.

Tilting her head, the Wicked Witch readied herself by raising her free hand too, fingers aglow, her face a mask of sinister intentions. "On three, Rumple, we'll attack the Savior _together_…" Smiling at the crowd's horrified faces, she counted down slowly, her eyes lit with both glee and determination when she reached the final number.

_Let the games begin_, Zelena thought maliciously before attacking Emma with a blast of green light.

**…**

**Thanks for your patience and for reading this rather long chapter! Any response will be appreciated! :) **


	19. The Savior Strikes Back

**Hi, readers!**

**I'm back! I do hope that you like this action-packed chapter in the same way that I do! ****It definitely was fun to write from certain character's POV instead of heaping it into one, big piece. However, I do want to apologize for it being TOO long and wordy (well, _slightly_ apologize). I didn't want to split them up into individual chapters, so here we are! One big section! :)**

**Let me know what you think! We're nearing the end of our journey!**

**Keep enjoying, my loves!**

**FantasyWriterFoSho**

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**Summary of the Previous Chapter: Emma broke through the manipulations Zelena created when she took her heart, thanks to her inner, enlightened self, but when she returned to reality, she faced bigger problems: going up against the Wicked Witch and the Dark One.**

**…**

**Chapter Nineteen: The Savior Strikes Back**

**…**

**T**he blast hurled its way towards Emma in a thick straight line, but when it closed in on her, it angled off to the right, presenting her with a massive and curvature forefront. It was then joined by a yellowish arch of light, which swirled around the other in a foreboding manner, before coating the outer green layer with its golden sheen.

Waving her already raised hand in a sweeping motion, Emma deflected the combined streams into a nearby parked car, which shattered everything in its path before exploding into flames, combing the street with shards of glass and twisted metal. Crying out because of the sparks and flying debris, Emma jumped a few steps over to her right, her arm still up in defense and her body still angled. Positioned directly in front of her parents, she silently exchanged looks between them and her opponents, her eyes fierce.

If she managed this right, she could hand over her brother's heart to them without injuring it. It was risky but worth a try…she just needed the opportunity to do so.

"Nice moves," Zelena interrupted with a mocking grin. "I wonder _who_ you learned that from." With Gold's unwilling participation, they both shot out, in rapid sequence, a multitude of blasts into her direction, creating a huge wall of billowy light.

**...**

"**E**mma, WATCH OUT!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, desperately trying to lunge forward in an attempt to save her, but she was stopped by a concerned David, who didn't want to further risk her or the unborn baby's health. Quickly wrapping his arms around her swollen stomach, he pulled her back with soothing words, a pained expression contouring his face. He wanted to help too but he really didn't know how he could. He didn't have any magic and he had lost his sword during his short-lived fight earlier, so, unless things dramatically changed to something _more _reasonable...then he couldn't retrieve his son's heart _or_ properly assist his daughter.

He could, however, make sure that his people weren't injured.

Leaning back and removing one arm from around his wife, he looked at the crowd about him. "Go find somewhere to hid!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the heads of the large mass. Some immediately heeded his warnings, but most remained glued to their spots, their faces plastered with both fear and interest. Feeling, and understanding, the same frustration that Regina had dealt with, he repeated himself, but with an authoritative, Prince-like growl. Within minutes, the once huge gathering began to dwindle into a handful of individuals.

Seeing her opportunity, Red started pulling Belle away from the scene, towards Granny's, but the moment she did so, the latter thrashed about wildly. In an effort to stay where she was, Belle dug her heels into the ground, trying desperately to slip through her captor's hands, by wiggling from side-to-side, but Red's intent was much stronger. Using her wolf-like strength, she managed to fully enclose her arms around the other's slender waist before twisting her over to one side and, as soon as Belle lost her stance, she took advantage of it.

Swiftly moving away from the fight, Red immediately headed towards safety with a screaming woman in her arms. "_NOOOOO_!" Belle rang out, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. "LET ME GO!"

"You don't need to see this. It's going to get nasty," Red responded evenly, forcing their bodies behind a car that was parked a few feet away. Putting a hand on top of Belle's head, she gently pushed it down, trying to protect her from the flying jets of light that were now shooting down the road. Ducking, to avoid being hit, Red sprinted them both along the sidewalk until they reached the Diner's door, which she tugged open forcefully. Heaving the upset brunette inside, she then slammed it shut and sighed; silently praying that her chosen safe haven would be enough to protect them from the magical war happening outside.

**...**

**W**ith a quick scan, Emma managed to approximately count twenty visible rounds heading towards her, but she had a feeling that there were more—some of them had blended together, making it nearly impossible to distinguish the individual ones from the merged ones. Hand still up, she then concentrated all of her abilities into summoning a barrier, which instantly unfolded a foot in front of her, in a bursting motion. Bending and curving it just right, so it would be able to cover the entire width of the street, Emma watched as the blasts quickly approached then bounced off of her impressive shield—some hitting it gently, others more forcefully.

Grunting from the repetitive, jolting pressure, she bit her lip and tried to keep steady by straightening her arm out to its full length, but after doing so for more than a minute, she was beginning to feel the crumpling effects, of professional magical sparring, throughout her whole body. Shaking because of the vibrations, her shoulders began to lock into a hunched position, causing her armor to pinch her in the neck area, while her knees began to buckle under the continuous onslaught.

"It's not easy to do, is it, my pretty?" Zelena called out with a taunting smile, her original glee coming back in spades. "It's not _easy_ to perform magic without any adequate training _or_ assistance, is it?" She released a few more shots before stopping her and Gold's assault with a wave of her dagger hand. Once the dark yellow and green dust trail faded away, she took a step forward, her free palm still up. "Too bad I now have to kill you. It's all rather unfortunate, really..."

Emma narrowed her eyes and strengthened her shield with an extra layer of magic, its white sheen swiftly coating the older version. Ignoring the ache that had begun consuming her uplifted arm and parts of her chest, she practically spit out her next words. "I doubt that. You haven't really succeeded with any of your threats today, especially with the _killing _part..."

Zelena's face fell only by a degree—her spirits were still high, despite all that had happened to her in the last twenty minutes. "Sticks and stones, dear," she sarcastically scolded, though her hopes were rallied at the possibility of seeing her former puppet's demise. She then glanced down at her hand and watched as a huge green orb crackled to life with foreboding rays of static darting out at all angles, their tips curled and sharp-looking. When it reached the size of a basketball and smoothed out, the witch returned her gaze to Emma, who was still relying on her barrier's protection, and smiled. "But if that's how you feel, I guess that I can give Rumple dear the honor of killing _you_. Though I would enjoy assassinating the _Savior_ myself, I'll just have to settle for being _the_ catalyst of your downfall."

Eyes glittering, she continued, her fingers itching. "First things first though...let's get rid of that pesky shield of yours so we can have some more _fun_...at _your_ expense, of course..."

Chills swept up Emma's spine from the threatening statement, but before she could mentally prepare herself, Zelena had already hurled the energy ball at her choice of defense, with little to no movement in her wrist; a demented expression on the latter's face. Gasping loudly, Emma tried to brace for the incoming collision, which arrived only seconds later. As the magical orb smashed into the white glistening surface, it then imploded against it, flinging green electrical energy into every direction when it splattered itself atop the barrier in a series of hard thumping noises. Startled by the powerful singular attack, Emma took a small step backwards, her face slowly shifting from surprise to slight pain when a dull pressure began building around the edges of her clothed finger tips.

Barely able to withstand it anymore, when her arm unexpectedly jerked back and her ears began to pound from the aftershock's reverberations, Emma was about to drop her dominant arm and re-strategize when, at that _very_ moment, the energy ball somehow revived and passed itself through her crippling barrier! When it tore through it easily, she managed to knock it away with a wave of her hand, but at a great cause to her strength. Grunting, she struggled to stay upright, and to maintain the humming coursing through her, but she was quickly becoming drained. Worried that she had nothing left to give, Emma glared up at the Wicked Witch, who she could see more clearly now, since her shield had been dismantled, and tried to focus on all the reasons why she _couldn't_ loose.

_Henry_, she thought, quietly motivating herself. Feeling the humming increase inside of her, she was able to stand a bit taller. _My parents...my baby brother...Hook...Regina...Glinda...Belle...Gold...Red...the people of Storybrooke_...

Zelena returned the glare with a satisfied smirk before stretching out her free arm and directing a strong beam of light at her, the intensity, of which, managed to illuminate and brighten the air around it.

Releasing a breath that she didn't know she was holding, Emma further angled her body away—so that the hand holding onto her brother's heart wouldn't be seen from beneath her fluttering cloak—and resumed her previous posture. As she tried to retain her positive feelings, she concentrated on the center of her palm and was able to counter Zelena's move with a beam of her own—much to her delight and surprise—causing the two distinct colors to crash and mingle together, after an appropriate amount of time. The combined sound thundered and swirled around Main Street in one sweeping motion, thickening the gathering air and dust while also pushing away any of their stranded magic into one long streak of light.

Staggering slightly, Emma bent her knees and tried splitting her concentration between anticipating Zelena's reactions and her thoughts, rather than focusing on her growing feebleness, which didn't go unnoticed. Taking advantage of the situation, the witch steadied her form and brought her fingers together, which wordlessly summoned an additional band to her own creation. A roaring sound immediately followed the second covering as it swept down the length of the imposing line and climbed its way towards the front green tip that was currently blending with Emma's.

The sheer force of Zelena's magic proved to be more formidable than she was ready for because as soon as the extra coating had reached its destination, or the meeting points of the two colors, it sent a tidal wave of invisible, potent energy at her, making it difficult for the blonde to breathe, let alone stand. Inhaling then exhaling deeply, Emma's eyes blurred while her palm smoldered under the duress, but nevertheless, she held her ground...least till the _third_ wave struck.

Zelena must've had a feeling that she would've needed _another_ subsequent attack because, not long afterward the second one came, _another_ barreled down the combined beams and practically knocked Emma off of her feet!

"_EMMA_!" Hook suddenly cried out—though she barely heard him through the overwhelming currents invading her senses. He was filled with so many emotions at seeing the _real_ Emma that he didn't know how to react. With his lungs constricted, his stomach tight and his heart slamming against his ribs, he took several steps forward, eyes glued on her form. He _needed_ to touch her, to make sure that she was okay, to be of any _use_ to her, to _help_ her, but as if she had sensed what he was about to do, Emma momentarily glanced back at him before returning to her position, her hair whipping wildly about her angled shoulder.

"Stay back!" she shouted, her command ringing in not only his ears, but everybody else's. "This is _my_ fight!" Breathing deeply, and ignoring the growing emptiness encasing where her heart should be, she continued attacking her opponent with everything she had, which, sadly, was dwindling by the seconds spent defending herself and the town. _Don't ever give up fighting for what's right_, she thought, recalling the inspiring words her other self had told her before she escaped her mental limbo. She was about to mimic what Zelena had done with her beam when she remembered something important.

_My brother's heart!_ She reasoned quietly. _I was too worried about not letting that witch see it that I almost forgot about returning it to my parents!_

Looking past her shortsightedness, Emma multitasked. She shuffled between what she was _physically_ doing and what _needed_ to be done, so, when a possibility presented itself, she didn't hesitate. After forcefully increasing her beam to an unnatural height—the lucky result of some much needed adrenaline—which shot blinding sparks from her end over to Zelena's, she glanced back over to her far left and ended up meeting Hook's concerned-filled gaze, once again, instead of her parents.

Accepting that she was running out of time, Emma then gently, but urgently, brushed some of her billowing cloak away and revealed the small satchel to him, her eyes wide with purpose and trust. When he understood what she was asking of him, he nodded his head, spurring the next action forward in a matter of moments.

As soon as Hook began to move towards her, Emma had a feeling that Zelena was on the verge of catching her, so, after nervously licking her lips and sending up a short prayer, she balanced the bag in her hand before lightly tossing the pouch at him; eliciting a collective gasp from whoever remained in the street. It all seemed to happen in slow motion, the gentle spinning and curvature, but when the pouch declined in altitude and landed perfectly into his hand, it all returned to normal.

Sighing in relief, she turned back around, unable to see what followed their smooth transference; therefore, missing her parents' reactions and the loving smile Hook sent her way, but even if she _could_ guess what was happening behind her, she still had to take care of some important business. Breathing heavily, she looked at Zelena, who, at that very moment, just recovered from the surprising spike of power with a slight sneer—completely unaware of what had just happened.

Now able to operate both of her hands, Emma immediately utilized them, which slightly added to her volume; however, it did little to deter or scare the Wicked Witch, who honestly didn't seem to notice the difference. Feeling the adrenaline wearing thin, Emma began moving forward, trying to either curb or shorten the long length of the beams, but as she neared her adversary, the shakiness began to reemerge, making what little control she had even more elusive.

"Is _that_ all? How tragic to be _drained_ already?" Zelena jeered over the roar that was blaring between them. Her blue eyes glittered dangerously as she watched the blonde's careful movements. "The Savior disappoints yet again..."

Choosing not to respond, Emma continued advancing forward, the quivering now spreading to her other arm.

Snickering, the witch peered over at Gold, who tried hiding his anxiety with a veneer of disinterest, but she knew better. The heartless young lady was in a major bind and he could see it too. Her body was beginning to surrender to the extreme exhaustion of wielding without her precious, fuel-providing heart but that was the least of her troubles—she was, apparently, _still_ fighting herself. When she was under Zelena's control, she didn't have to think or make any decisions. She merely obeyed her commands, but now that she was relatively free to do whatever she wished, she lacked the necessary experience to execute them correctly. _I guess she didn't really learn anything from my teachings after all_, she mused happily, silently praising that fact since _that_ logic would work out better for her in the long run.

Turning her focus over to her unwilling ally, she slightly raised her dagger hand, and lowered her voice so that only he could hear her. "You're going to join me in weakening her further, but wait for my signal. Don't disappoint me, Rumple."

Looking back at Emma, Zelena bolstered her beam, showcasing her own incredible magical prowess when emerald bolts of hot energy came to life and quickly overtook the lighter shade with a mere thought. However, as it neared the opposite end, Emma managed to slow it down by rotating both of her wrists, in opposite directions, preventing the blistering energy from surging towards her with nothing but her unfailing willpower.

For two minutes, it was hard for the three to hear anything around them when their battle progressed into a push-and-pull match for the moveable bolt—with one doing her best to thwart it while the other sought deadly vengeance—but before it could naturally play out, Zelena's determination to win overpowered the unspoken rule of the game. When her own dominant hand began to show the signs of shaking, she gritted her teeth together and tilted her head towards Gold, who was still standing beside her. "Attack her _now_!" she whispered to him, harshly, her eyes stormy and vexed.

Stalling for a moment, he lifted then dropped his right hand, confliction clouding his features. She was about to repeat her order when her influence kicked in. Bringing his hand up in a sharp, fluid motion, Gold's palm crackled with electricity before it too produced a powerful, thick stream of light at Emma, whose eyes widened with shock. Quickly tearing her left hand away from the white/green beam, the blonde countered against his with another one of her own, greatly depleting whatever strength she had left in her arsenal.

Grunting from the swelling tension in her joints, Emma found herself hunching _into_ herself. Leaning forward, her neck and head were so bunched together, and rigid, that they were practically collapsing into her chest from the lack of control and as her bottom half did its best to maintain some sort of balance, she could feel that slipping as well—not to mention that she was now completely trembling from head-to-toe—not just in her arms.

She was definitely nearing the end of her rope.

_No_, she then thought, determinedly. _I won't give up_!

**...**

**H**ook watched as Emma turned back around in time to resume her confrontation with Zelena, who had just recovered from the distracting blast, and, not wanting the witch to see what he was holding, he reacted quickly. Angling his right side away, he partially tucked the small satchel into his leather sleeve and retreated backwards, a nonchalant expression on his face, but when he noticed that Zelena wasn't even paying attention to anybody other than her sparring partner, he dropped the pretenses.

Pivoting around on his heels, effortlessly, he ran the short distance over to where an entangled David and Mary Margaret were, they're expressions an interesting mixture of despair and hope.

After David told the crowd to disperse, he hauled himself and his pregnant wife behind a nearby parked car, where they saw everything. Though more safe then when they were out on the street, they felt more helpless and useless in their hiding spot. Tears pricked Mary Margaret's eyes when she saw how bravely her daughter was fighting against Zelena and how she was struggling beneath the beams' power. She was in the midst of feeling like a complete failure as a parent when she then witnessed Emma lightly tossing her wrapped brother's heart over to Hook, who gently caught it, and as if sensing what had just happened, a bright sensation flittered around in her stomach.

_He's alright_, she reflected quietly, glancing up at her husband, who's thoughts mirrored her own. _He's alright thanks to his sister: our amazing, incredibly strong Emma_. Rallying together, they stood up and made their way over to where Hook was, but when they noticed that he was making his way over to _them_, they stopped and waited.

Lifting his hand up near his chest, the reformed pirate presented the tied satchel to the couple, the border of which flapped softly in time to the drumming of the tiny heart inside of it. "I believe that this belongs to you," he said, his eyes tender when he saw how timidly Mary Margaret was reaching out for it. A rush of emotions began bouncing around inside of her when she held it in both of her hands; feeling the pitter-patter against her palm.

Releasing a shaky breath, she then exchanged a glance between Hook and David before addressing them. "How are we going to return it to the baby?"

"Unfortunately, we need a person with magic to do so," David answered, his voice cracking. "We'll have to wait—" His gaze had wandered over to his left where he noticed the pale Southern Witch, who hadn't moved once from her spot in the street, slumped on the ground with the comatose Robin lying beside her, to her left. Feeling horrible about forgetting them, he quickly made his way over to the pair with his wife following closely behind him—Hook, on the other hand, hesitated.

Swallowing hard, he peeked over his shoulder at Emma, who was fighting Zelena with everything she had. Eyes shimmering with all the love he felt for her, he stared at her warrior form before turning away, his thoughts completely muddled when he caught up to the other two, who were now huddled around the fallen individuals.

When Hook arrived, David was fooling around with the rope alongside the limp strawberry blonde's back while Mary Margaret was carrying on with their conversation from a second ago, causing her to accidentally overlook Robin's condition. Moving towards his companion, the pirate took a knee and checked the man's pulse, which was, thankfully, steady. He was about to report it, but the underlining urgency in her continuing voice silenced him.

"...But-but, we can't just..." Mary Margaret trailed, not willing to believe that they couldn't do something about the baby's heart immediately. Mind racing, she went over their limited options: Emma was busy with Zelena and was _seriously_ compromised; Glinda was drained, tied up and also _seriously_ compromised; the fairies would be impossible to find amongst the chaos, along with anybody else magical; and...Regina, Regina was—

"_REGINA_?!" she then shouted, jarring the two crouched men beside her.

Remembering what had happened, she gently handed the tiny satchel over to Hook, who accepted it with a suspicious look on his face, and stepped around David's back; her eyes wandering over to the last place she had seen her.

And when she found who she was looking for, she sighed in unbridled relief before pressing a hand lightly against her chest.

**...**

**D**azed and lying awkwardly on her back, Regina could barely recall anything in the last ten, twenty or twenty-five minutes.

Everything seemed to be a huge blur, but the one thing that she did know was that she had been with Glinda, fighting against a brainwashed Emma and her sister, when things suddenly went black. Blinking her sore eyes, she moaned from all of the unbearable pain that was attacking her in waves—from her mangled wrist to her injured, bleeding shoulder. Coughing violently, she tried rolling over to one side, in order to stand up, but there seemed to be something blocking her way.

Confused, Regina cleared her dry and damaged throat before using her good arm to feel about her. After groping at what lay to her left, she then apprehensively switched over to whatever was on her right, praying that she wouldn't further disturb her wound.

Touching what felt to be the bumpers of-of..._cars_, she slowly peered about herself. _Emma threw me in-between two parked vehicles?!_ She thought with a muffled, irritated groan. _Of course she did_...

Knowing that she had to get up to avoid the possibility of falling unconscious, Regina shifted further over to her left and stiffly grabbed ahold of the back bumper, her fingers and palm instantly chilled by the unused metal. Applying what little strength and grip she possessed, she managed to pull herself into a sitting position, her bones cracking under the strain. Cautiously lifting, then placing, her loosely wrapped wrist against her chest, to avoid using it, she then stayed perfectly still in order to collect herself. Slowly licking at her chapped lips, a trembling and wheezy sound escaped from her mouth the moment she bent, then shuffled, her legs beneath her—which instantly stirred to life a dull ache in the pit of her stomach.

Tired of wasting time, Regina decided to act. Holding her breath, she then suddenly lurched herself forward, sending all of her weight down onto her knees before crashing her shoulder and body into the left car, unceremoniously. "Son of a _bitch_," she choked out afterwards, instantly regretting what she did when the aches tripled in size. Dizzy, she relaxed her now uncomfortable hold on the bumper and gently swept it up the car's detail till it rested beneath her leaning form, which was begging for some sort of healing solace.

Head now feeling heavy, she was thinking about quitting and lying back down when she heard her name being called out, loudly.

"_REGINA_?!"

Knowing that voice anywhere, she forced herself to look up and into that direction. Making direct eye contact with the approaching woman, she then sloppily pushed herself away from the vehicle, inadvertently revealing the crimson-soiled part of her blouse, which was becoming drenched with a fresh set of blood. "I'm fine," she said when Mary Margaret closed in on her location, her face etched with worry.

"No, you're _really_ injured," was the response—least she thought so, her perception wasn't exactly reliable at the moment.

"Just be useful and _help_ me up," Regina hissed, her tone harsher than she meant it to be.

After a considering pause, she felt hands tenderly grasping at her right elbow and shoulder, which instinctively spurred her into action. Using the extra assistance to her advantage, Regina leveraged her way to her feet, wincing slightly when a pinching pain shot up her supported arm.

"Your wrist needs to be bandaged again. This tourniquet is _terrible_," Mary Margaret stated firmly when she led her over to the small group still gathered in the middle of the street. Regina hardly even noticed them till she found herself sitting down next to a kneeling Hook, who's blue eyes were glazed over with concern and sympathy. Not liking that particular view, she shifted her gaze downward, to what was lying in front of Hook's legs, and then gasped in horror.

"_Robin_?!" she exclaimed, her senses returning back to normal at the sight of him. Forgetting her pains, she was about to reach out and touch him, when she was stopped by Mary Margaret, who had briefly turned away to rip a piece of her clothing off. Softly shifting a reluctant Regina back to where she was, she peeled the previous bandage off, which wasn't hard to do, and quickly wrapped the damaged wrist with the new material; her fingers nimble and effective.

"You should go to the hospital," Mary Margaret stated when she tied the ends together. "Or use your magic to heal yourself because it could—"

"Could what? Get _worse_?" Regina interrupted with a scowl. She had only winced a couple of times during the procedure, which she was thankful for, but when she felt some fingers beginning to move about her shoulder injury, she sucked in a deep breath. Her pain wasn't how it was a few minutes ago—no doubt because of the flow of adrenaline currently flowing through her veins at the sight of Robin's body—so when she spoke again, she showed no signs of the pure torment she had endured between the two cars.

"Like I said, 'I'm fine'. I've had worse things done to me than this, believe it or not. I'm more worried about what's been going on here while I was..._indisposed_." Using her peripherals to look down at Robin, she then frowned. "...Did Emma hurt him?"

At that disturbing, yet reasonable, question, Mary Margaret hesitated before continuing on with her work. "No, _Zelena_ did. He rushed over to help you but I'm guessing that she didn't like that since she sent him flying, to this spot, a few moments later."

"It's nice to see that she can still fight her own battles," Regina commented dryly, referring to how she manipulated Emma and Gold into sparring against her via several magical influences.

"Many things occurred in your absence, love," Hook interjected with a tilt of his head before standing up with a natural ease. "But none more important than Emma regaining her willpower from that witch and rescuing the unborn lad's heart." He then showed her the tannish satchel cupped, delicately, in his hand to support his statement.

"Wh-what?" Regina asked, her eyes wide with confusion when she met the other three's, who each confirmed what he said with a nod of their heads. "_How_?"

"We don't know," David answered honestly before looking back down. Still fumbling with Glinda's ties, he continued, hope lacing his voice. "But she's back and is now fighting your sister to save us and Storybrooke."

Finally filtering in the sounds going on in front of her, as if they didn't matter till that very moment, Regina heard the loud crackling noises. Mouth agape, she then grabbed at Mary Margaret's fingers, which were still fiddling with her wound, and tried to look around the tall figure of Hook, who was inadvertently blocking her way. After waving her hand at him, in a shooing motion, he did what she asked and took a step off to the side, but not without first raising a skeptical brow at her.

When she saw Emma fighting for her life, and _theirs_, against her sister and an unwilling Gold, she shook her head in disbelief. "Well...I'm impressed." She then opened her mouth, to say something else, when a sharp bubbling twinge in her shoulder made her cry out in alarm. "Agh! Are you trying to make it _worse_?!" Regina then squirmed away from Mary Margaret's outstretched hands. "_What_ exactly are _you_ doing?"

Sighing, the other woman replied back, but with a flat tone . "I was trying to pull out that misplaced cloth that's stuck in your blouse, so I could cover your wound or, at the very least, apply some pressure to it, _but_...if you want it to become _infected_...?"

"_Thanks_," Regina responded with a sarcastic smile, her gaze zooming in on the saturated material she had forgotten was in there. Remembering that Robin had used it to patch her up after her first round with her sister, a sad smile tugged at one of the corners of her mouth. "Thanks, but _no_. It probably wouldn't help anyway..."

"Why not?"

"Well, for one thing, it's _filthy_ and...for another," she paused, pushing the top part of her shirt away so she could get a better look at the blood-spattered and bruised laceration. "It's clogging. I won't need it..." Feeling another bout of dizziness spreading from behind her eyes to the back of her head, she slowed her breathing. She didn't want to appear how she actually _felt_ to the group, especially the pregnant woman before her, so she cleared her throat and regally tossed her head back. "Now, if we could focus on more _important_ things, like what's happening around us, we would actually be doing something productive."

"Saving your life _is_ being productive," Mary Margaret stressed as she reached out to try and assist her again only to have her hands hastily slapped away. "If I hadn't seen you when I did, you would probably be unconscious right about now!"

"Anything would be better than having you nagging at me!"

"_Guys_," David began loudly, however, he was soon drowned out by their continuing dispute.

"I do _not_ nag you!"

"What do you call this?!"

"A...a...disagreement!"

"Stop stressing yourself out! I'm _FINE_."

"Your majesties," Hook interjected, taking the same initiative David did only to have the same result.

"You're just saying that because you don't want to be cared for," Mary Margaret said as she carefully reached back over to her side so she could rip off another piece of her clothing. "If that 'filthy' one is what's _bothering_ you then I'll just—"

Feeling extremely tired, Regina snapped. "Stop _mothering_ me! I'm not a child nor do I appreciate being treated like one, regardless of my...present condition! Why don't you just—" Stopping herself before she would've said something she would regret later (about the unborn baby and Emma), she managed to suppress the words in her throat; however from the way Mary Margaret was staring at her, Regina had a feeling that she already knew what she was going to say.

"...Either way," she responded a few seconds later; slightly more emotional than before. "We _need_ you to stay healthy. The least you can do is allow me to cover it with—"

Groaning in frustration, Regina's mood shifted again, causing her to blurt out her next words. "The only reason you want to _fix_ me is so I could, somehow, put your baby's heart back inside of your _womb_! Well, sorry to disappoint you," she cut off with a tint of sadness in her eyes. "But I _don't_ have the energy to figure out how to do that right now nor the full, healthy use of my body...It's as you said, if you didn't _see_ me and brought me over here, I probably _would_ be unconscious, so...so, we'll just have to figure out another way to do what you want..."

A heavy silence weaved its way around the four people; one that competed with the fighting noises in the background.

Softly rubbing a part of the purse in his hand, Hook cleared his throat, earning the eyes of everybody around him easily. "Perhaps we could figure a way to do that, as well as help Emma defeat that green monster, instead of arguing amongst ourselves?"

"Hook's right," David agreed, his features somber. "We have to work together."

Exchanging a look, Regina and Mary Margaret nodded in agreement, but before the former could fully bury the hatchet or open her mouth, to say something _else_, the latter had ripped off a chunk of her dress, tugged the blouse away from the gash and inserted it inside where she then flattened her palm against the wound to apply some pressure. Crying out in both pain and surprise, Regina shot a glaring look at the woman beside her, but did nothing to stop her efforts.

Hissing, she ignored the sweet and satisfied smile on Mary Margaret's face and slowly turned her head in Hook and David's direction, who were both trying to hide their amusement by biting their bottom lips. Briefly looking down at Robin, who, upon a closer inspection, appeared to be in the throes of a temporary sleeping spell, she finally noticed the limp form of Glinda being supported by David's hands. Shock shaped her features when she took in the extreme paleness of her white skin and the tied rope. _I guess in all the drama, I overlooked her...I've missed out on a lot of things..._

Noticing what had captured Regina's interest, David spoke up, his voice clear. "She's completely drained. After Emma knocked you out, they engaged in some sort of smoke battle and...and...during that, she lost her wand."

"Not to mention the _other_ crystal," Mary Margaret added, removing her hand from Regina's shoulder after she gently patted then adjusted the stained shirt.

"Zelena has them both," Hook stated, his mouth in a thin line. "And she plans on, somehow, fusing them together with the dagger, _after_ she kills the crocodile. She wants to become the ultimate Dark One."

"Now I know why you sounded so desperate earlier," Regina softly muttered with a sideways glance, her words directed at Mary Margaret, who's reply came in the form of a slight nod. Sighing, but not from her now simmering agony, she turned to look at Emma, who was still suffering under Zelena's and Gold's magic. She honestly didn't know what they could do. It all seemed hopeless.

Shaking her head, Regina looked down at Robin before trying to move closer to him, as if he could give her some sort of inspiration, but when her body protested against her, she gritted out her next words. "I'm not sure if there's anything we can do."

"We have to do _something_," Mary Margaret pleaded.

"I understand that, but I don't know if there _is_ something..."

"There's always s-something...we c-can do..."

At the sound of that frail voice, four heads instantly snapped their attention over to the woman sitting on the opposite side of their fallen comrade, their eyes wide with shock. Barely able to lift her own head, the Southern Witch struggled till David moved closer to her back, allowing her to support it against the upper portion of his cladded chest. Eyes dull, she roamed them over Hook, Mary Margaret and Regina, in that order, before speaking again.

"I know w-what's h-happened but maybe, maybe we can s-still defeat Zelena..."

"We _can_?" Hook inquired, his blue eyes suddenly fiery with optimism and curiosity.

"How do you know _what_ happened?" David asked, the vibration of his voice reverberating through her. "We thought you were unconscious."

"I-in a way, I w-was." She responded back, hoarsely. "Being d-drained of y-your energy isn't something that should b-be taken l-lightly. You, you respond t-to it in different, different _ways_...I was h-having an outer b-body experience than anything, anything e-else..."

"What can we do?" Regina asked, after a moment, her outlook suddenly brighter. "How can we defeat my sister?"

"T-the Northern Crystal," she replied, her breathing becoming labored. "It b-belongs to Emma..."

Closing then reopening her eyes in exasperation, Regina then spoke in low tones. "We've been through this already. It didn't work when she held it, remember? She's not its wielder _and_ even if she was, _Zelena_ now has them."

"No, it w-_works_...when she _disarmed_ m-me," Glinda stuttered, trying to get her point across. "W-when she _took_ m-my wand, it m-magically appeared and when, when s-she touched it," she paused, her lavender eyes interchanging between Mary Margaret and Hook. "I-it _glowed, _so...if she w-wishes it...she c-can recall it from Zelena..."

There was another moment of complete silence but before it could really build, it was disturbed by Hook, once again. "What the _bloody_ hell are you ladies talking about?" he asked, both of his arms gesturing out to the side—though he was careful when it came to the hand holding the leather pouch.

Choosing to leave his question unanswered, for time's sake, Glinda managed to push herself away from David's embrace, which was still propping her up from behind. Groaning from the aches in her unused muscles, she spared a look at the rope binding her arms and legs to her body before clearing her parched, burning throat. "I-it's magic r-rope...y-you need magic to u-undo it..." Finally grasping why he couldn't free her, David shrugged his shoulders in acceptance but it didn't reach his somber eyes.

"We n-need to g-get them back...the crystals...o-otherwise, we're doomed."

"I don't mean to damper your spirits, _but_," Hook said, meeting her eyes with his darkened ones when she looked up at him, hers momentarily skimming over the satchel first. Instead of finishing his statement, he left her in suspense before shifting back over to where he was originally, and then some, so she could see what his form had blocked from her view. "There seems to be a minuscule hitch in your plans, love."

Glinda immediately took in the sight and sounds of the battle, which was now raging out of control. By the looks of it, the Savior was in desperate need of saving, and as her mouth fell open, Glinda watched, in horror, as the pressure grew too much.

Emma had just collapsed down to one of her knees, screaming.

**...**

**G**ritting her teeth, Emma tried to stretch and elongate her hunched figure, but as she struggled to do that, she had to suffer through Zelena's sudden taunting—which were, sadly, audible over the thunderous clashing of magic.

"Do you really think that you can defeat me?!" the redhead hollered, her own hand still shaking. Her eyes were now wild with anger at how long the fight was actually taking. She expected Emma to crumple under her power—_hell_, she was counting on it!—but clearly, her abilities weren't enough to do that to her, which was why she decided to enlist Gold's help. Surely, _his_ magic would do the trick, _but_ that wasn't working either...not really anyway. She was still fighting, though wobbly and half-drained, but she was _fighting_ nonetheless. _If only there was a way to thwart her. To weaken her further_...

Then, it dawned on her.

To get what she wanted, she would taunt her, relentlessly. She would _make_ her doubt herself. She will _remind_ her of who she _really_ is...an _orphan_. Sure, she knew the risks of making the blonde angry, especially since she was the one who taught her how to control her magic, with her rage, but Emma was already unstable. She was already losing control, so, why not help her fall off the cliff with her own insecurities?

And that was how it all started.

With her self-motivating plan, Zelena immediately began throwing out insult after insult at her struggle former protégé, internally begging her opponent to crack so she could carry on with completing her task. "You're _nothing_!" she shouted, her own eagerness and maliciousness curbing her dominant hand's quivering. "And you will always be nothing, no matter what your ill-suited title _claims_ you to be!"

_Don't listen to her_, Emma thought as another chill ran up and down her bent back. She knew what Zelena was doing and even though she tried to fight against the scarring words, as well as the two beams, she could feel her optimism, her concentration and what residual control she had left, leaving her body. If this continued, she wouldn't be able to use her magic and her last moments would be spent engulfed in green and gold electricity.

Swallowing hard, she briefly closed her eyes, allowing Regina's mantra to fill her head: _'Clear your mind. Find your control' ...I have to concentrate_. I _can't let her win because she'll destroy everything and everyone I love_.

Inspired, she could feel the tips of her palms snap and spark before they shot out folds of light energy into the other two's direction, doubling then shoving theirs back onto themselves. Gold grunted under the unexpected strain but didn't fight, regrow or push back. He simply just calmed his shorter, but fatter, beam with a simple wrist flourish, seemingly permitting her winning odds over any sort of retaliation.

Zelena, on the other hand, wasn't so generous. Her mood blackened, along with her eyes, when she easily regained the upper hand, her anger and jealousy serving her type of magic well.

"You, yourself, don't even believe in being the _Savior_, so why should anybody else?!" she then screeched, their beams evening out to the same length. "Do you really think that people have faith in a pathetic creature, such as yourself, Emma?! You're not that important and never were! A few _good_ deeds won't erase an unworthy life! You will always be that sad, little orphan girl no matter what you do! You don't belong _anywhere_!"

An empty, angry sensation began to twist and gnaw at Emma's insides, making it difficult for her to breathe. Exhaling in a series of loud gasps, an array of unhappy and lonely images suddenly flashed before her hazel eyes, making them narrow considerably in the multicolored lights. All of her pent up emotions of being countlessly abandoned, lied to or ignored played in her head, ultimately drowning out Regina's instructive mantra. As an ominous shadow crept its way onto her features, she was soon filled with another voice, one filled with smugness...Zelena's:

'_Yo__u're nothing but an abandoned orphan who's never going to amount to anything..._'

'_I__n fact, they probably don't care about you at all, which is why they're REPLACING you..._'

Head lowering, but eyes still raised and pointed, Emma's white light began to flicker. A greyish hue then started to emerge from her covered finger tips before it deepened into a black color, reminiscent of when she was under the witch's control. Her dark powers were once again getting the better of her.

'_My, my, you have lots of repressed rage, Savior..._'

'_S__o, the key that affects you and inspires you to work is anger..._'

'_It __focuses your intentions and hones in on your desires..._'

'_Whe__never you fight, you will tap into you anger; remember the feelings you just had and use them to the fullest..._'

"...NO!" Emma managed, suddenly, her eyes widening at the lasting effect Zelena's training words, apparently, still had on her. Shaking her head, she watched as her magic _first_ balanced _then_ brightened back into its normal color, fluctuating with whatever her current mood or state was. She knew that magic affected one's emotions, as Rumple and Regina have repeatedly stated, but _damn_, she didn't know how much it did till that very moment! Pushing back with more determination than ever, she felt her overexerted body swivel to one side when her feet began to lose its traction.

Exclaiming in desperation, she then glanced over at Gold, who meet her pleading gaze with an unreadable one. "I know that you don't want to do this but I can't do this on my own! Everybody else—"

"—Has _abandoned_ you!" Zelena interrupted promptly, wanting Emma to go back to her previous mindset so she would burn out faster. _I'm so close_! She thought with a sneer. "Get that through your _thick_ skull! Nobody will help you! Nobody _loves_ you!"

'_And where your intimate relationships are concerned, you're never going to find the one meant for you..._'

'_Your family and that attractive pirate are quite the pressure point for you..._'

'_...especially that dashing Captain Hook. Whatever feelings you may have blooming for him, it won't work, last OR matter because of how secretive he is...doubt is never a good quality to have in or for a partner..._'

"_STOP IT_!" Emma screamed, blinded by the mind intrusion, but the damage was finally done. Her elbows caved in on her and her already bent, weakened knees gave out, pulling her down to one of them in a heap. With her cape flapping about her, her arms were no longer stretched out, they were pressed up against her armored chest; her glowing hands now illuminated the growing paleness of her sweaty neck and chin.

Snickering, Zelena playfully pouted at her, the swell of her beam lowering a bit—but not Gold's—so she wouldn't have to shout over it. "Well, better _late_ than never, my pet. I was afraid that all those hours of training and _conditioning_ were wastefully spent." Tilting her head, she continued. "Consider this all a lesson, my dear, but it was a jolly good show...I guess I should congratulate you on your skills but that's a form of self-flattery."

Still holding up her end, but only by a shred of light, Emma winced at the burning, hazy agony boring a hole in her chest. It was one of the worst feelings she had ever experienced but, considering her current dilemma and the ups-and-downs of the fight, she has been and _will_ continue to ignore it. She may have wavered in her control but she hadn't lost her determination.

_Again_, she risked putting her life in danger, but her motive behind it didn't change. She'd rather it be HER life, not anybody else's. _I can't let my anger get to me. This is my home. I have to win this! I have to!_

Voice cracking from the shouting and the psychological torture, Emma heaved a response. "You h-haven't won yet."

"Optimism at its best."

Roaming her gaze about her, Emma bit her lip hard. She was trying to find some sort of a weakness, some sort of prop to use against one or both of them, but found nothing...initially. When she managed to catch the shine of the dagger in one of Zelena's hands, an interesting idea plopped into her head—one she wished she had earlier. She didn't know if she could do it, but it was worth a try. It could quite possibly be her only way out, so, mentally preparing herself, just in case, she mustered the strength to regain her footing.

Wobbly pushing herself up, Emma flicked her gaze over to the Wicked Witch, who was looking annoyingly victorious. "As I said, you haven't won yet." Then, looking at Gold, she summoned her entire beam into the palm of her hand, via a roll of her wrist, dragging his side of their connection towards her in a pulling motion. A glittery ball formed near her finger tips before she threw it back at him; effectively deflecting the whole stream into _his_ hands. Not having time to react, he was instantly flung a few feet away with a surprised expression on his face.

After he had landed on his side, with a light thump, Emma returned her attention to Zelena, who didn't look like she was enjoying her "victory" anymore. Lifting her available left hand, she stretched it out at the witch, her gaze shifting to the dagger, which she could now see a little more clearly.

It took a few seconds for her to understand what it was Emma was after but when she did, Zelena became undone.

"That's impossible!" she yelled, tightening her hold on the precious weapon, which began pulsing in her grasp. "It's magically protected against..._instances_ like this!"

Both dropping their beams at the same time, they magically struggled and fought over the dagger, which was slowly, but surely, being tugged away from its owner's grip. Zelena then summoned a green energy to smear over her hand, for added strength, but the added magic wasn't working. _She_ wasn't strong enough to maintain it and the more she tried, the more obvious it became.

When it then suddenly slipped down to the tips of her enclosed fingers, with a scraping sound, her eyes widened with genuine fright.

"RUMPLE!" she bellowed, her tone high and furious. "GET UP AND HELP ME!"

Gold had already managed to straighten himself out a few moments before being ordered to.

He was still a bit sore from his fight with Regina but he could honestly say that the sneak attack greatly impressed him. He didn't think Ms. Swan had it in her to defeat them _both _but she was, in of herself, an enigma. Her powers appeared to be boundless, since she was able to withstand their combined beams for a long time, only to rise up and overpower them in the end—from the very edge of defeat!

Wearily, he moved forward; completely tired of obeying a foolish woman who's dreams of grandeur were just the foolish delusions of a _unloved_ girl. He was about to pointlessly question her command when she, once again, changed the rules of the game via three words:

"KILL HER, RUMPLE!"

The cry echoed over Emma's head and continued all the way down the street, instantly attracting the huddled group's attention to what was happening a few feet in front of them. Their eyes began to mirror Glinda's when they saw Gold freeze, for a moment, then take a step in Emma's direction, his hands gathering around the middle of his chest to create a more powerful energy ball.

He then glanced at the Savior, the same one he had included in his _own_ sinister plans many years ago, and sighed heavily.

The choice to destroy her was—and _wasn't_—in his hands...

**...**

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